Let the Fire Die
by His1Princess
Summary: DuncanXCourtney; The notebook kind of of Courtney and Duncan.
1. Chapter 1

Let the Fire Die Chapter 1

Courtney gazed herself in the mirror, hardly recognizing herself. She'd changed so much since that one summer. She had not only grown out her hair, but colored to a blonde color, that although looked different on her, looked good with her dark complexion. After leaving Total Drama Island and getting no letters, no calls, nothing, she'd stopped eating a lot too, which made me thinner than she used to be. And then there was the pesky little diamond ring on her ring finger.

_What have I gotten myself into? _She thought to herself while looking in the mirror.

"Courtney? Darling?" She heard a male voice from downstairs call. Great, now he was home.

"I'm in the bedroom; I'll meet you down stairs in a few moments." I answered, remembering that we had to go to some fancy little restaurant tonight to support Drew's publicity.

Drew. He was gorgeous, in a simple word. Though he wasn't for me. My family wanted me to marry him, his entire family had money, and he was over popular around the state. However, he was more concerned about money and growing in popularity than to think about love; so of course he though we were head over heels for each other. Obviously he'd never had a true love like I'd had with- No, I mustn't think of him now. But of course, I could already picture his piercings, his Mohawk with the green in the middle, though by now, I knew he had to have just jet black hair. And of course, his baby blues. They were the most amazing thing about him, because he when he was too shy to say a feeling aloud, his eyes conveyed every word that was choked up in his throat.

After the horrible, yet tolerable because he was there time I'd had at Camp Wawanakwa, he'd finally come back to Playa Des Losers, and that very same night, we both lost our last shreds of virginity. Though of course, my family and Drew knew no word of this. No one I associated with now did. Only him, Bridgette, Gwen, Trent, DJ, and I was sure Geoff knew, though he'd never actually said anything about it.

"Honey? Are you okay?" Drew asked, from his standing position in the doorway. _How long had he been there?_

"Oh, yes." I answered, not telling him of course how badly I actually felt. He knew nothing that I actually felt.

"Okay…It's just your mother said you'd been acting funny at lunch…and she wanted me to make sure everything was okay." He answered, looking down at the ground, and blushing slightly, he was never one for showing concern. Ever.

"I'm fine." I answered, once more, grabbing his hand just like always, and smiling while walking down the stairs as usual. Sealing my fate just like I always had. Just like I probably always would. I couldn't stand up for Duncan then, and now I couldn't even stand up for myself. I was losing my soul in this disgusting greedy place we all call New York City; and it was killing me.

I stared out onto the river, I was finally home. Due to less people signing up for the army, and my father's desire for me to be straightened out, I'd been in Iraq for nearly six years. Almost half the amount of years she'd been out of my life. And soon as I got home, my father would have to up and die, wouldn't he? And of course, he'd leave nearly all his assets to his once bad now reformed home from the war son wouldn't he? That's what had lead me here, to Alabama. My home town; Wild Herr, Alabama, population; seventy nine, eighty once the Cross baby was born next month. So, here I was sun glittering onto the horizon, a pitcher of sweet iced tea on the table beside me.

As the warmth of the sun was fading, I couldn't stop thinking of her. Of how her mocha hair shone when the sunlight hit it just right, and how when she allowed it to curl, and the light glowed behind her, it looked as though she were wearing a halo. I was thinking of how competitive she always was, and how when she wanted something she'd give her all until she had it. I thought of her eyes and how they always shone with intelligence and passion. She was truly unlike anyone else I'd ever met. She had everything that it took to touch my soul, intelligence, passion, the kind of sense of humor you could instantly tell about, everything and more. She was the only girl who had ever been able to touch my heart like that.

Of course, we both knew we lived too far away, and the odds were all against us, and her parents were too, naturally. But I still thought that somehow it would work out, so for three years I'd written her, everyday for three years. Telling her my every thought, right up until the last letter, where I truly knew it was over, and she had moved on. Then I'd just told her how much I loved her, and how I always would, and I simply left it at that, hoping that one day in the future I'd be able to see her, just once. Even if I didn't get to talk to her, seeing just one more time would be enough. I'd thought, though by now, I knew of course that couldn't be true. Because I'd seen her, in the paper not even two weeks ago, with her new fiancée. It had nearly broken my heart in two.

I remembered the day I'd come home to find no one waiting for me. I'd been so sad, though I'd known that no one would be there. I'd still looked at every happy couple and sighed and felt that slight tug at the pit of my stomach, meaning I was jealous. After getting off the boat, I walked into a bathroom, and looked into the mirror. My hair, which had been buzzed off for my entirety of being in the war, was finally growing out, and its black hue made my white skin look sallow and sickly in the bathroom light. My eyes looked saddened and as if they'd never be happy again. And I remembered thinking I doubted I would be.

Then I walked out onto the street, once again trying to find Courtney in every girl I saw, though of course, I never would. Because she was my first, and only love.


	2. Chapter 2

Let the Fire Die Chapter 2

"Courtney, darling?" My mother asked me from across the room, where she was leaving the kitchen. She poked her bright orange colored hair out the doorframe and smiled slightly at me, which I knew had to be completely fake, she didn't really care what I did now that I was going to marry Drew.

"Yes, mother?" I answered looking up from where I was reading _The Odyssey. _

"Could you come here?" She motioned, leaning her finger out towards me, and smiling even bigger.

"Uhm, sure." I answered, plopping the book on the couch beside me, and walking over to the kitchen door, where my mother proceeded to pull me in tightly. She grinned and squealed loudly as she gripped a picture and newspaper in her hands.

"LOOK WHO MADE THE FORNT COVER!" She yelled, throwing the paper into my face where I realized that it was a large photo of Drew and I, one that I looked actually happy in. My mother must've sent this in. Horrible, horrible woman.

_Local business tycoon, Drew Grayson, will be marrying Courtney Elderson come this fall. They have been dating for the past few years, despite the images that a popular TV show, Total Drama Island, depicted of her having a relationship with a juvenile delinquent. He proposed to her three weeks ago at Café de le Rouge, and he gave her a three carat diamond ring to match the numerous others that have rubies, emeralds and pearls. Such the perfect couple, huh?_

I couldn't not believe what I was reading, not only had the trashed Duncan in my wedding proposal, but they also made it seem like I was a spoiled gold digger. But then, I noticed the small corner note that the author had added in.

_Duncan Mathers, the said Delinquent, now lives in Wild Herr, Alabama on the estate his father left him when he died, shortly after Duncan arrived home from Iraq. _

Duncan, my Duncan, had been in Iraq. He could've been killed, and now he was being trashed in stupid newspapers. I had to see him; I dropped the paper to the floor, and ran upstairs to the library to look up Wild Herr on the computer. I was going there, no matter what. I'd find a way to weasel my way out of this suffocating town.

"Darling?" My mother screamed up the stairs, as I heard her heels clacking on the solid, waxed wooden stairs that led to the library.

"I'm okay mom; I just wanted to look up the writers' email, to thank her for writing such a wonderful piece." I answered, pulling the lie straight out of my ass. I knew I couldn't tell her that I was looking up Duncan's home town; she despised the boy, always had and always would. And just after hearing the lie escape my lips, I heard the library door softly open and close, and then I could hear my mother breathing on my neck. I wished she would leave me alone for two seconds, now I would have to research this town later.

"I can't find it. How about we go downstairs and get that article framed?" I asked, smiling at my mother and knowing the only thing that would get her out of this room, and away from what I'd been researching would be to talk about the wedding some more. Yahoo, my day in paradise.

"Oh, darling, aren't you just so excited to be marrying such a wonderful man?" My mother asked, screeching some more and grabbing my arm, and wistfully looking me in the eyes.

"So excited!" I answered; giving her the fake smile and enthusiasm that she was expecting me to give to her, "But, uhm, mom, there's kind of this thing that I wanna do before we get all serious wedding mania around here." I said, lowering my voice, hoping that maybe I could get away with this with a simple lie.

"What is that?" She asked her smile still in place as she flicked her hair around so that she was looking me in the eyes, happiness apparent everywhere on her face.

"Well, I'd actually like to go see Bridgette. She's finally on the east coast, and she and Geoff have missed me so much, and I've missed them and it'd be great to see them." I answered, smiling at her, and hoping she would be okay with this, though I already knew in my heart that she wouldn't.

"You want to go associate with…those children?" She asked, lowering her voice dangerously as she said the last part.

"Mom! They are the best friends I have ever had!" I screeched out, hitting the staircase with my hand lightly, for emphasis, that this was upsetting me severely

"Honey, you only knew them for a few weeks, you've probably all grown apart by now and-"She started, her look of disapproval in her eyes as she glared at me under her brows.

"Mom! I've known them for fifteen years! That's almost half of my life, and I talk to them all the time, I really think I should be allowed to see them." I said, pleading with her.

"Fine, this weekend you can go visit them. Where are they?" She asked, sighing and running a hand through her hair, obviously more upset about me leaving than I could ever be.

"Florida." I answered, not wanting to say Alabama, just in case my mother had read the footnote.

"Fine." She answered, leaving me to stand by the stairs, alone and empty. I sighed and sat down on the second to last step and thought about everything. Was I really doing the right thing? Because I knew deep in my heart, one look at Duncan and I'd never want to come back to this hell hole of a life again. But, I'd made an agreement, a promise, to marry Drew. Could I really back out on that, just because I was in love with another man? I sighed again, either way, I'd be finding out this weekend.

**A/N: Please review! Anyways, Duncan will be in the next chapter, and I'll try to make it come out faster, I hope everyone likes this story, and this chapter. :D thanks to everyone reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

Let the Fire Die Chapter 3

I lay in the cool, green summer grass listening to the chirps of birds and insects as they sang their love songs to one another. In the background, I could slightly hear the rustle of the water as t headed down the trail the river had long since marked as its own. Just as I was drifting out of consciousness, I heard tires going over the gravel of my driveway, and I instantly sat up, bolting straight up. The car was a bright red Mercedes that had tinted windows, and I couldn't see the person or persons inside until she stepped out. She was gorgeous in a word, with long, light blonde hair that flowed well past her shoulders in tight curls. Her long legs were as deeply tanned as the rest of her, and were being shown off due to the teal shorts she was wearing, that offset her tan wonderfully. Her white tank top shone in the bright light, and she smiled slightly when she saw me looking at her.

"Hello Duncan." She answered, smiling larger to show off her perfect rows of teeth, while pulling off her teal sunglasses that had been covering her lightly made up dark brown eyes.

I stared into those remarkable, unforgettable shining eyes, and then in a moment, I knew who she was. I had no doubt in my mind, "Courtney?" I finally spoke aloud, while crossing the short length of grass that separated me from her.

"How have you been?" She asked, as if that was answering my question completely.

"I've missed you." I dodged the question about how I'd been, knowing she didn't want the true answer. That I'd been a wreck since she had left my life.

She looked to the ground while a few large crocodile tears slip from her eyes, and I stood by, helpless. "Please don't say that." She finally said after a long moment, and after wiping the tears from her cheek.

I felt guilty; of course she didn't want to hear that. She was engaged now, she hadn't come here to be with me, but…why had she come? I didn't even know she knew where I lived, so instead of killing myself with the guilt and questions any longer, I asked her aloud what had brought her here.

"I needed to tell you…." She said, trying to think of the words to say after that, but the words weren't coming from here.

"Tell me what?" I asked, reaching over to her.

"I'm getting married. In a few weeks, I just…I felt like I needed to tell you…I know that's so stupid, but god." She answered, suddenly looking as if she regretted coming here at all.

"I already know. You've been in the paper quite a lot, especially the local one after they found out that you were the same Courtney." I said, trying to make her feel better, but instead she just looked sadder.

"I knew I should've just called. Why did I come down here?" She whispered to herself, beginning to pace beside her car, but she stopped after a few minutes, and finally looked back at me, and smiling, "how's your family?" She knew this was a safe question, because I'd always loved them, but it wasn't safe anymore.

"Their all dead." I answered, looking away to stare at the horizon and the slowly fading sun.

"What?" She asked, her face scrunched in concern.

"My mother, brother and twin sisters were murdered one night when me and my dad went out to get ice cream for everyone, and when we got back…the house was empty and cold. Not to mention blood was just about everywhere. After I got back from Iraq, my dad died." I continued staring at the horizon and never looked at Courtney as I told her about what had happened.

"Oh, Duncan, I'm so sorry." She spoke, coming closer to me, and touching my arm lightly I looked down into her eyes, and for a moment, it was as if it was still that one summer, but then I stepped away from her, because it wasn't, and we weren't who we'd been then, and she was engaged now.

"So what happened to you?" I asked, finally looking her over well again.

"What do you mean?" She asked haughtily while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, look at you; you're defiantly not the same person who left after the contest fifteen years ago." I answered, picking up a strand of her hair and shoving in front of her eyes to show her.

"Well, we all grow up and change." She answered shortly, looking like she might cry again, and her words were clipped and angry.

"What's with you?" I finally asked, grabbing her chin and making her look me in the eyes.

"Was I ever anything to you?" She asked, her eyes blazing like a forest fire.

"What?" I asked dumbly, unbelieving that she might actually be asking me this question.

"God! I'm so dumb! I was in love with you; I waited for ten years for you! Ten years, and I wasn't ever anything to you." She screamed, tears freely flowing form her eyes as she ripped her face away from my hands.

"Courtney, I haven't dated anyone else. You're the one that's engaged." I yelled back, turning away from her to go back to the house.

"At least tell me why you never sent anything, or called or anything!" She yelled, throwing a rock at my back.

"What, are you talking about? I called every night at seven, and wrote every day for three years!" I screamed turning around to face her.

"You…did?" She asked, confusion in her eyes, probably at the reason why she hadn't gotten her letters, or the phone calls.

"Of course I did! I loved you Courtney!" I yelled, covering the ground that separated us in four quick strides, before looking her in the eyes to say the last part.

"You...do?" She asked, her eyes once again filled with confusion, as she repeated almost the exact same question from before.

"Yes." I answered, before kissing her slowly on the lips, and then as we kissed longer, we kissed more passionately. And when we were finally finished, the sun had retired for the night, and we were in the slight light of the full moon, and yet probably the happiest we'd both been in fifteen years.


	4. Chapter 4

Let the Fire Die Chapter 4

As we broke apart, the world seemed so much better than it had just moments ago. I could see the happiness shining through Duncan's eyes clearly; the full moon seemed like a natural-made spotlight for the two of us. I heard the beautiful music from the crickets that seemed like the greatest sound to my ears. And I was just thinking everything was perfect, and nothing could make this horrible, when I heard a female's voice.

"Duncan? Where are you?" There was a woman who seemed to look between my age and Duncan's with long blonde hair; I could see her curves clearly from the bright light that outlined her against the darkness that engulfed the two of us.

"Who's that?" I whispered, looking at Duncan, thinking that possibly I was going to cry in only a few moments.

"You don't even remember your best friend? I'm amazed you remember me." He smirked, looking down at me before telling Bridgette he'd be there in a few minutes.

"I, uhm, I guess I should just leave." I said, pulling my self away from Duncan's embrace and backing toward my car.

"No, c'mon." He answered, smiling and pulling me toward the bright, gorgeous house.

We crossed the short distance toward the house, and when we finally reached the light circle that encompassed the house, Bridgette looked worried, until she saw the both of us.

"Courtney?" She whispered, unbelieving that I was here; I could hardly believe it myself.

"Yes..." I said, stepping forward to embrace her. She lightly hugged me, still looking shocked, until I pulled away.

"Why are you here?" She finally said, anger coming into her voice, she had obviously become close to Duncan, somehow, and was bugged by my sudden appearance and didn't want me to screw with Duncan or mess with the life he had now.

"I came to see Duncan." I answered firmly, looking into her eyes, and showing the same firm, look of anger that she was giving me. She simply looked curtly at the both of us, and waved her hand as if to usher us in.

"How long has she been here?" I whispered under my breath to Duncan once she'd headed into the house.

"A few weeks. They must have been out on a walk when you got here. I forget they were here. That's probably why the house was so silent." He answered quietly, chuckling slightly at the end.

"They?" I asked, looking up into his sparkling gems of eyes.

"Yeah…" He said, looking to the ground uncomfortably and rubbing the back of his neck, "Her, Geoff, Trent, and DJ. Geoff insisted that Bridgette come with him."

"What about Gwen?" I asked, clearly wondering why she wasn't here with Trent.

"She and Trent are still together, just long distance, she's doing some save the earth stuff in Canada." Duncan answered opening the door for me.

"Wow." I breathed, walking under his arm and into the warm atmosphere of the house, "you sure I should be here?"

He grabbed my hand pulling me into the dark corner of the foyer, "I wouldn't want you anywhere else." He spoke it with such intense simplicity that I was flushed with the heat.

"Duncan! Get in here!" Bridgette yelled, cutting us off right before our lips could touch. I hear Duncan growl beside me before whispering unclean words under his mouth and pulling me along behind him to the living room.

I was instantly sent back to the summer fourteen years ago. Everyone looked the same, Geoff with his surfer's body, cowboy hat, and never closed pink shirt had just gotten tanner, Trent sat on the floor playing the Guitar, his long hair covering his eyes, and DJ sat neatly on a couch with a bunny snuggled into him, the only that was different was their expressions. Before when they saw me with Duncan, they'd all have a knowing look about them, now they all looked shocked beyond belief, except Bridgette who stood off to the side look smug.

"C'mon Courtney, let's get the guys some cookies." She spoke, cutting the tension and silence before reaching out her long, tan, muscular hand for me with a fake smile that I could smell from fifty miles away plastered on her face.

I took the hand and was instantly and harshly pulled from the room where I could whispers coming from as soon as I was gone. It was ad if I didn't have ears. I wanted to leave so badly. And then she spoke again.

"If you just acme to hurt him again, I will kill you. And I'm the only one. Do you understand?" She spoke slowly and deathly. Her jaw was clenched and I could tell she was holding back the extent of her anger.

"Bridge I know you-"

"Don't you ever call me Bridge again you whore. Do you know what you've done to that man in there? You crushed him. He cries, not loudly, and only when he thinks we're all gone or asleep. But he cries, he takes out the Total Drama memorabilia, and he cries. Because of you." With that she thrust the pan of cookies for the boys to me and hotly stepped out of the room. I stayed glued to the floor by what Bridgette had just said. Did I really do that to the strongest man I've ever known?

XXXXX

After Courtney left the room with Bridgette the guys bombarded me with questions, first of course, was my best friend.

"Why is she here?" Geoff asked bluntly in his normal way.

"I'm still not sure." I answered, plopping down beside him, and running a hand through my hair.

"Well, what did she say?" Trent asked, setting the guitar down on the floor and looking up at me finally.

"We didn't really talk." I answered, suddenly wondering why she was here.

"How long is she gonna be here?" DJ asked, petting him bunny and looking from each of us to the others.

"I don't know. We didn't talk. God, why is she here? What if she just came here for some last little fling before she gets married? What if she's just going to leave me again?" I put my head in my hands, and sighed. Why hadn't I asked anything? Because as soon as I saw her, my brain had turned to mush, just like every other time I saw her. Because, I still loved her. That's why I couldn't bring up any of the bad stuff.


	5. Chapter 5

Let the Fire Die Chapter 5

I walked back into the room, stunned by what had happened a few minutes ago. Bridgette had always seemed so nice, and she'd just snapped at me. When got into the room, she was kissing Geoff goodnight, and telling everyone she was tired. Then she turned and looked at me, nodded sternly, glared a little, and headed up the stairs.

"Where are the cookies, woman?" Duncan asked, his gorgeous smile placed wonderfully on his face, while he was pulling me into his lap.

"Oh…" I said, trying to come up with a good answer, but instead got asked questions.

"How long are you staying?" DJ asked suddenly, passing Bunny over to Trent and looking at me hard.

"Uhm, only a few days." I replied, unable to look anyone in the eyes, because I knew they would all be asking the same question, 'then why come destroy Duncan's life again?'

"What the hell? Seriously Court? That's it? Go screw with someone else's life okay, just honestly, leave." Trent yelled angrily while jumping to his feet, anger showed clearly on his face.

"Trent? Shut the hell up." Duncan said simply, clutching me closer to him, as if to make sure I wouldn't listen to Trent and just up and leave.

"No, I'm not going to. Duncan, does she know how horrible you've felt since she left? No, she doesn't, we do. And I personally don't wanna hear you moaning and crying at night anymore, you just fucking got over that shit." Trent yelled spitting out the words like they were venom, and the other guys, though unable to meet my eyes, were clearly on his side.

"Whatever." Duncan answered, throwing a pillow at him.

"Fuck you." Trent said simply before trotting out of the room, Bunny at his heels, and DJ chasing right after him.

"Geoff?" Duncan asked, as if asking if he too felt the way the other guys did.

"Man, I'm your best friend. I don't wanna be in the middle of your happiness, but you little miss snooty pants, you're engaged, you should just get the hell outta here." He spoke simply, and pointed at me when talking about me, then collected Trent's guitar and sheet music, then left the room.

"I should go." I said simply, pulling Duncan's arms off of me, and getting up, and walking fastly toward the door.

Once I got out the door, and down onto the lawn I turned to see Duncan taking up the doorway of the front door, and he yelled out to me, "Fine, leave! Chicken out once again, and go back to your safe little perfect life!" He spit the words out like they were killing him.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I yelled back to him, tears starting to pinprick my eyes.

"You know what I'm saying! I've never been enough for you; I don't have the money, or the influence that you crave so badly! I'm just a normal person, and even though you love me, it kills you that I'm not fucking rich!" He yelled out, stepping forward out of the house and frantically running his hands through his hair.

"What the hell are you talking about? I love him, too!" I yelled, unsure of myself, even as I said it.

"Really? Then why'd you come here Courtney?" Duncan asked, before slamming the front door, and practically shaking the entire house.

That's when it truly hit me; I was still in love with Duncan. I had tried to pretend I was in love with the man my parents wanted me to love, but I didn't. I couldn't. Because I didn't have all of my heart, that man inside that house did. He'd had it since the first time we talked, and I doubted I'd ever have it back. Then, I broke down right there, in the middle of Duncan's yard, with all those people from my past just a few feet away, probably listening to me and laughing, because they all hated me now.

I don't know what time it was, or how long I'd been in the grass, but eventually Bridgette came out with blankets and pillows and food in tow. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet before slightly dragging me toward a barn to the side of the house.

"Look, I know I came off as a heartless bitch earlier, it's just…Court, you hurt all of us. We all left the island, and you completely disappeared from all of our lives. Like we were just friends for that one summer, and it hurt all of us." Bridgette spoke as she placed the pillows and blankets on a mattress laying on the ground in front a television.

"My mom wouldn't let me talk to you. I tried emailing, but she blocked all emails except ones that she added into my address book." I answered, curling up onto the mattress and sniveling into the pillow.

"She's such a witch." Bride answered simply before turning on the TV and plopping down beside me with cookie dough in hand.

"I'm so sorry Bridge." I said, not daring to look into her eyes, because I really was ashamed of myself, I should have tried harder to stay friends with everyone.

"Me too." She said, poking a spoonful of cookie dough into my hand and then knocking mine and hers together and saying, "Truce?"

"Truce." I answered, shoving the spoon into my mouth and smiling at the woman who had once been the best friend I'd ever had. And maybe, she still was.


	6. Chapter 6

Let the Fire Die Chapter 6

After slamming the front door, I walked slowly toward my room downstairs, thinking of what had just happened. That was the end of everything we'd had in the past, it had to be. I'd said such mean things, and she'd never come back. She'd go back to New York, and get married, have her dream life, and I'd just be a nuisance from the past. And just as I was thinking this I walked into my bedroom to find my three best friends there.

"Video games, man?" Geoff asked, holding up several games cases, and smiling.

"And Mexican food!" DJ yelled, pulling out burritos, tacos and nachos from a never-ending supply he had hidden somewhere.

"We already know we're the best so don't even say it, just come here and try to beat me on Guitar Hero!" Trent said just as I opened my mouth to say something.

I plopped down on the beanbag chair beside Trent and grabbed the controller to beat the shit outta Trent on a game where he knew most of the songs by heart, and could play them by heart on his real guitar. Somewhere around midnight we brought out the booze, and that's when things got really weird, I don't remember everything, but I'm pretty sure it involved my next door neighbor, since I just woke up, and she's here. With me. Naked. In my bed.

God, what have I done?

XXXXXXXX

The morning after reconciling with Bridgette, and fighting with Duncan, I awoke to a strange screaming coming from the house. I noted that Bridge was gone, and I was pretty sure that she was the one doing all the screaming in the house. I walked out into the bright sunshine of what I presumed was midday sunlight, and fluffed my hair out of my eyes and rubbed them.

"What the hell, Dunc! Seriously? After all the fucking shit you've done, this takes the cake! I mean really! Sleeping with her? Right after you get in a fight with Courtney! You're effing Courtney, the girl you've pined over for years!" This was sounding really strange and very clear, considering the only difference between my hearing before and now was that I'd walked out of the barn.

Then I saw them, Duncan was standing by an oak tree looking strangely cornered, with some girl by him that looked like she was pissed, and yet ready to burst into tears at the same time. Bridgette was across from the two of them, looking angrier than I'd ever seen her, even last night when she was yelling at me.

"Oh and look. There she is! She never even fucking left!" Bridgette yelled pointing over toward me and making Duncan turn, his face filled with emotions I'd barely ever seen on him.

"Princess?" He asked quietly, yet loud enough for me to hear across the yard.

"Come on over Court, I need to tell you what happened last night while we were pigging out on chips and cookie dough and watching chick flicks." Bridgette yelled, smiling hard, and waving me over.

'_This is bad. Horribly bad.' _I thought as I crossed the lawn to stand beside Bridgette.

"Oh, well, you should meet Melinda first. This" She said, pointing to the young girl beside Duncan "is our next door neighbor, Melinda. Oh, and Melinda? This is Courtney, the first and only girl Duncan has ever loved. Anyways, last night, after that huge screaming fest went on right outside the house, the guys got drunk. I know, perfect choice, huh? Alcohol is always the best thing, right? Anyway, after that, Duncan went next door and serenaded the little hooch that lives there. And then, they wound up in bed together. What a nice story huh?" Bridgette huffed this all out, and glared angrily at the two every chance she got.

"You….slept with her?" I asked Duncan, turning to face him, tears already pinpricking my eyes, and my mouth pen in shock.

"Courtney, it's not like that!" He yelled, reaching for my hand, but instead of allowing him to touch me, I pulled back and slapped him across the face. He grabbed his face in shock, and I could see the skin turning red under his hand.

"What do you mean it's not like that?" The blonde, bosomed young girl screeched in a high voice beside him.

"I don't give a shit about you! Just leave okay?" Duncan turned, yelling at the girl before reaching out for me once again, "baby, please just listen to me!" his voice filled with pleading as the girl walked behind him in a huff.

"I'm not your baby, and it doesn't matter. Just go fuck Melissa." I stated, walking back toward the barn I'd spent the night in.

"It's Melinda!" The girl screeched in her high pitched, nasal voice.

"Fuck you." I said simply, flicking her off without even looking back. I heard a gasp, and then a giggle from what I presumed was Bridgette, and then light footsteps. Defiantly Bridge.

"I love you Court, Have I mentioned that lately?" She swooned out, and I laughed a little, knowing that I couldn't break down right here, but as soon as it was just me and her, she knew it would be coming.

She pulled the barn door open for me, and I walked slowly into the cool, air conditioned space and collapsed onto the bed, the sobs finally breaking me down into a little ball. And just as I suspected, Bridge was right there beside me, rubbing my back and telling me it was all okay. And then, just as the tears were getting worse, I remembered Drew.

"Oh, god, Bridgette, what have I gotten myself into? Why did I ever even consider Drew?" I asked, pulling a pillow over to cover my face. I was so smart, and yet such an idiot sometimes.

"There's only one thing that can save this." Bridgette said, smirking evilly, while holding up my cell phone.

"You aren't proposing I break up our engagement over the telephone do you?" I asked, giggling and pulling the phone over into my lap while I sat up.

"Oh, yes I am." Bridgette answered while I was pressing the numbers to call Drew at work, knowing that he'd be there. He always was.

"Oh honey!" He cried out on the second ring, joy and happiness filling his voice.

"Look, Andrew…" I said, trailing off, unsure of how to state exactly what I wanted to say.

"Andrew? Honey, you never call me that. What's wrong?" He asked, the happiness suddenly gone and filled instead with dread and unsure ness.

"Nothing, I just. I don't love you. I don't think I ever did." I said, looking down at picking at the fibers on the bed's comforter.

"You what?" He asked tears obvious in his voice.

"I'm sorry. I just…I've loved a boy since I was a teen, and well…I still love him. And he's not you. It's not your fault. I'm sorry. But, I'm staying down here. I'll ask some friends up there to ship clothes and such things down to me, but I'm sorry." And with that, I hung up on the man I had thought would be my future husband.

"I can't believe you just did that." Bridgette said stunned, obviously, though she'd come up with the idea, she didn't think I would follow through with it. Oh well, too late for that, huh?

"Me either." I said suddenly, shock spreading all over my body.

'_What are you going to do now? Duncan doesn't love you, he slept with that whore, and you just left your husband, so not only is he out of the picture forever, but so are your parents.' _I thought as I collapsed into Bridgette's lap, sobs wracking my back and making me shake violently.

XXXXXXXX

I sat outside listening to Princess sobbing inside the barn, and even though I wanted to go inside, my legs wouldn't allow me too. Then, I heard the most glorious thing, she still loved me. And she broke up with her fiancée just to prove it, and she was going to stay here. I had to make everything perfect again. Somehow, I had to make everything in the world perfect again. Because Princess deserved perfection and then some.


	7. Chapter 7

Let the Fire Die Chapter 7

I was driving way past the speed limit, but I didn't care, I had to get to this bum fuck Egypt place in Alabama where that man lived. That man that was stealing my beautiful future wife from me the one I had waited forever for, he'd already had his chance with my perfect angel, now he just needed to back the fuck off and give a brother some space, ya know? Courtney was everything I'd ever dreamed of. Determined, understanding, truthful, caring, but of course, sometimes she seemed distant. But that was just because this was all going to fast right? It's not like she actually loved that barbarian, right? She was civilized like me, we didn't fall for people like him, not for good.

I was driving through windy, curvy streets and well past one hundred, when suddenly I saw the address I needed, and turned sharply. I raced up the unpaved driveway, thinking of how uncultured this man must be, how could my dearest Courtney even stand him?, when I nearly hit the base of the house before I realized it.

"What the hell?" Some punk ass guy said, coming out of the house, and rubbing his temple because I presumed, he had a headache. Three other guys filed out after him. One of them looked like one of those emo singer guys, the other was some buff black guy, and the last was some happy little cowboy. Assholes.

"Which one of you asses is Duncan?" I asked, after getting the name and address of the boy Courtney had once loved from her mother, I'd flown down to Alabama and then driven out here to hopefully get her back.

"I am." The punk answered, stepping forth and looking angrier than he had a moment ago. Obviously being called an ass didn't bode well with him.

We sat there for a few moments staring angrily at each other; apparently he knew who I was, just as much as I knew who he was.

"Look, I'm not giving her up." He stated simply, looking at me pitifully.

"You can't give her what I can. Don't you want her to be happy?" I asked, wanting to add an ass somewhere in those statements, but I didn't try it. Fighting wasn't one of my strong suits, but it would probably be one of his.

"You can't give her love. She loves me. She always has." He countered, not even looking up at me, but instead facing the horizon and squinting one eye shut.

"Just let her leave with me now, if you don't she'll regret it for the rest of her life." I said, glaring harder at the man, because it all seemed so easy for him.

"Look, I'm not fucking giving her up. I had to do that before, and there's no way in hell you can make me do it again. I fucking love that girl, more than you could ever know. So just take your Yankee ass self and leave alright?" He yelled spitting on my brand new shoes for emphasis.

"Duncan, why the hell are you yelling? Courtney's got a headache and you're making it worse!" A blonde girl yelled while walking over towards us from a barn a little ways away from the main house.

"Courtney's in there?" I asked excitedly

"Uhm…Court….you might wanna come out." The blonde yelled over her shoulder, which made my beautiful angel appear. Her dress was obviously borrowed since it was very plain and boring, and it was rumpled and short and showed off her every curve, but I didn't care that she didn't look like her normal self, she still looked like the wondrous goddess that had stolen my heart at first glance.

"Drew? What are you doing here?" She asked once she had joined the group.

"I came to get you back, silly." I answered, laughing a little, and smiling at her like I did when we played stupid games that she made up and pretended to like.

"Go home. Go back to New York." She said sternly, and seriously.

"Not without you." I stated, because I had come all this way just for a joy ride.

"No, just leave!" She screeched out, while pointing the others into the house. The blonde and the three boys followed orders, but Duncan was slow to respond, at least until she gave him her puppy dog eyes, then he obligingly left.

"Don't you ever contradict me in front of people again, you hear me?" I asked, getting up close to her, and making her eyes widen before pulling her by the hair to my car.

XXXXXXXX

I had just walked inside after leaving Courtney with that creep only because she had begged me with those gorgeous orbs of eyes when I heard a scream from outside, that sounded strangely like Courts.

I ran back out the door to see that guy hitting Courtney and trying to shove her into the car. And when I say hitting, I mean hitting like with hands and stuff, not like hitting on her.

"What the hell?" I screeched, rushing down the stairs and over to the guy.

"Look, this is none of your damn business, just go back inside, okay?" Drew answered, looking at me angrily, and as if he wanted to kill me.

"The fuck it ain't." I answered before simply punching the man in the nose and grabbing Courtney from his arms.

"Bridge. Take her. I'll be right back." I said, placing Courtney on the couch beside Bridgette after rushing her inside.

"Where are you going?" Princess asked, her voice light, and faraway, apparently he'd been choking her too, and I could see the red marks around her neck already appearing.

"To go kill that asshole." I answered promptly, turning to go back out the door where I could see that pansy already climbing back into his fancy sports car.

"Don't. I love you." And just as she said that, the asshole reversed and sped off so fast he left a giant dust cloud and I could hear the rocks pelting out from under his wheels, but I suddenly didn't care.

"You what?" I asked, shocked, turning back to face the wonderful woman lying on the couch.

"I love you." Courtney repeated before fainting right there. And even though I felt my heart jump into my throat at the fact that she had fainted, she was back up in moments, and my heart was still stuck in my throat, because she'd finally admitted she still loved, and she was sitting against my plaid pillows on my nasty old couch, smiling at me just to prove it. God, I could have kissed the life out of her then and there. But of course, I didn't.


	8. Chapter 8

Let the Fire Die

Chapter 8

**A/N: I think this is gonna mostly be other couples (TrentxGwen, GeoffxBridgette, maybe even DJ and someone) Lol, but maybe at the end there'll be some Duncan and Courtney. Sorry if no one likes this chapter because there isn't enough Duncan and Courtney! Anyways, read on, and review on!**

After Courtney said she loved Duncan, I left the room, because Duncan had taken my place beside Courtney and had moved her head into his lap and was playing with her hair while she slept soundly and peacefully.

"Bridge!" I heard a very familiar voice call out behind me.

"Hey Geoff." I replied, not even turning around while continuing on my way toward the only clean room in this house. As much as I loved these boys, they were not the cleanest.

"What's wrong?" Geoff asked, coming up and grabbing my waist, and turning me so that I was looking him in the eyes.

"Nothing." I answered quickly, looking away from Geoff's concerned gaze.

"Babe, I may be stupid sometimes, but I'm not a _**complete **_bumbling idiot." He replied, almost just as fast while turning my chin so that I looked him in the eyes.

"It's just, that scene down there. That's the kind of stuff that used to happen to us. We used to have fun together, and be all lovey dovey." I answered, sighing and telling him exactly what was bothering me.

"Bridge, just because that stuff doesn't happen to us anymore doesn't mean I don't still love you." Geoff said, pulling me close to him, as if trying to protect me from my own worries.

"I know, it just seems like you're always so busy either goofing off with the guys or trying to cheer Duncan up about Courtney. I just miss when we used to spend all our time together." I replied into Geoff's stomach because he was holding me so tightly and was _**soo**_ tall.

"Bridge, no matter what, I'll always love you. Okay? Through thick and thin." Geoff replied, turning my chin up and so that my eyes were looking into his once again.

And then, we kissed, and it was so reassuring, it was almost like we were back on the island, and it was our first time kissing.

XXXXXXXX

I was left in the living room, playing my guitar and laying on the floor, when my phone began to go crazy.

"Hello?" I whispered, careful not to disturb the two lovebirds sleeping on the couch.

"Trent!" I heard the angel cry out from the other end of the line.

"Gwen?" I asked, wondering if it truly was her.

"Of course, silly. I miss you so much." She said, her voice suddenly getting sad. I know she really wanted to go and save the earth or whatever she was doing in Canada, but it was breaking her heart to be away from me for so long.

"I miss you too." I replied just as quickly as the words were out of her mouth.

"Really? And you still love me?" She asked, as if I could possibly ever stop loving her.

"Of course." I answered simply, pulling myself up into a sitting position and putting my guitar on the ground beside me.

"Well, you should go outside." Gwen said, chuckling a little.

I got up and walked to the front door, and almost immediately I saw Gwen, sitting on the back of a truck and swinging her feet while a holding a phone to her ear. When she saw me, she hung up and smiled, and then, I was running to her. Not caring how stupid I looked, just running.

As soon as I had gathered her into my arms, I kissed her hard on the mouth, and after a few minutes when we surfaced to get air, she smiled up at me. "I love you." She whispered onto my lips.

XXXXXXXX

I awoke sometime around midnight to find myself in the main house, lying on the couch, in Duncan's arms.

"Princess?" Duncan mumbled out, looking at me sleepily.

"Yes, ogre?" I asked jokingly, while smiling at him, and moving a piece of hair out of his beautiful eyes.

"I love you too." He whispered, kissing my lightly on the lips and pulling me closer.

"C'mon." I said, trying to wriggle out of his arms, and pull him away.

"Where are we going to go?" He asked, while actually whining, and pulling me closer to his warm body.

"Your room." I said, kissing him lightly, and as soon as the words were out, he perked right up.

"Are you sure?" He asked as we walked the hallways toward room.

"Of course, I love you, remember?" I said, smiling and holding his hand.

And with that, we entered his room, and for the first time since we were teenagers, had sex with the one person in the world, that we truly loved.

XXXXXXXX

I was sitting on the computer in my upstairs bedroom, looking at the stars above, when I got the IM.

**Cutietwin: **Hello?

**Jamaicaboi: **Who's this?

**Cutietwin: **Oh, goody it is you! Oh, DJ, I've missed you soo much!

**Jamaicaboi: **Sadie?

**Cutietwin: **Yes. I'm so sorry for not talking to you for so long, but after we broke up, I forgot that you weren't just my boy friend; you were one of my best friends.

**Jamaicaboi: **Look, I don't know if this is such a good idea**. **

**Cutietwin: **So we can't even be friends? You hate me that much?

**Jamaicaboi: **no! I don't hate you at all! I just…I still love you.

**Cutietwin: **you do?

**Jamaicaboi: **Of course.

**Cutietwin: **Good, because I still love you.

I fell asleep three hours later after hammering out the details of Sadie coming to visit me, and us getting back together. It wasn't going to be an immediate thing, but I knew it would happen. Fate was bringing us back together, and I was way more than glad, because I was pretty sure, that just like all my best friends, I'd met my true love at Total Drama Island. So even though it had been horrible, we all kind of owed something to Chris and Chef.


	9. Chapter 9

Let the Fire Die

Chapter 9

I awoke the next morning to the smells of bacon, maple syrup and pancakes, and the clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. When I finally walked in after having to wriggle my way out of Duncan's strong hold on my entire body, and then having to find clothes, I noted that the person cooking didn't look familiar. It was obviously a girl, because the long black hair went well past her shoulders, and no self respecting man should have hair that long. The girl was wearing boxers and a tank top, and had slippers on her feet. She really looked like she belonged here.

"Gwen?" I asked, when she finally turned around, and though she looked older and a little different, this girl had to be Gwen.

"Courtney?" She asked, a smile playing on her face as she dropped the spatula she was holding on the counter and came over to hug me.

"I thought you were off in Canada?" I asked; once we had pulled away form our hug.

"I came back early, I missed Trent too much." She answered, making her new bangs cover her eyes as she looked down and blushed.

"GWEN!" Bridgette yelled from the hallway, obviously having just woken up.

"Bridge! I've missed you so much!" Gwen replied as Bridgette ran over to give the girl a large hug.

"Me too! Its soo much worse living with the guys when I'm the only girl!" Bridgette exclaimed, laughing a little at herself.

"You're making food, Woman?" Duncan asked coming into the room, rubbing his eyes and poking me when he said woman.

I simply raised my eyebrow before glaring at him and replying, "Neanderthal."

"Aw, so nice times over?" He asked looking at me with puppy dog eyes that almost made me melt.

"Of course, I just used nice time to get you back." I answered, sticking my tongue out at him, and turning back to the two girls in front of me.

"So I see you guys are exactly the same?" Gwen asked, smirking at me.

"Some people never grow up." I answered, laughing a little.

"C'mon Princess." Duncan whispered, as he grabbed my waist and pulled me out the room, waving a small wave at Bridgette and Gwen who just continued to laugh at us.

"I wanted food, you know." I said, pouting when Duncan finally let go of my waist and stopped pulling me.

"Yeah, well. Too bad." He answered, smirking at me evilly.

"Duncan…I don't think this is such a good idea…" I said, knowing instantly that what he was going to say was bad.

"You haven't even heard me out yet." He pointed out.

"Fine, what?" I asked, bracing myself for the bad idea.

"There's a Total Drama Island marathon on today!" He exclaimed like a little kid who'd just eaten a ton of candy.

"So?" I asked, not getting what this had to do with anything.

"So, we're gonna watch it!" He answered, picking me up and carrying him back to his bedroom.

He plopped me down on his bed, and went to turn his ginormous television on; before coming back and throwing himself onto the bed beside me. After a few episodes I was knocked out, Duncan however was still on his sugar rush from whatever he had eaten this morning.

"SLAM!" I heard a car door slam outside which awoke me from my dreams.

"What's that?" I asked, as Duncan quickly shut the TV off.

"Who knows, babe." He answered shakily like he was hiding something.

"What was on the TV?" I asked, grabbing the remote from him and turning it back on.

"Personally, I think Heather would be so much better for Duncan, I mean, at least she admits she likes him!" Justin said on the TV, obviously being interviewed.

"What's he talking about?" I asked, looking at Duncan, confused.

Then the shot came up, Heather was snuggling with Duncan, and even though I saw her taking the map, it bothered me. Maybe it was the look on his face while he watched it, or maybe the content look on the screen, but either way, I wanted to kill her.

"I thought you'd seen it…" Duncan answered, looking away from me.

"No. I never watched a single episode." I answered, just as Duncan came on the screen.

"I mean, the chicks pretty hot but…" I heard him say, and though I knew he was saying more on the screen, he was smiling at they muted what he said.

I dropped the remote to the floor, and ran out of the room, not wanting to hear explanations, but just wanting Bridgette to talk to me. But instead I ran into DJ's back.

"What the heck?" DJ screamed as I looked around his broad body.

"Sadie? Katie?" I asked, scrunching my forehead.

"Sadie! I thought you meant that just you were coming!" DJ screeched, pulling at his hair.

"Well, I couldn't just leave my bfffl, could I?" She answered, smiling stupidly.

"This is exactly why we broke up Sadie! Just leave!" DJ said, turning around and going back toward his room.

"But, I thought you lo-"Sadie began to say.

"Just leave." DJ answered wearily, passing by Duncan, who was looking at me worriedly.

I watched the little and big twins pick up their luggage and walk out, Katie comforting a crying Sadie and after a few minutes I heard the door to their car shut, and then heard the engine start and then face away as they drove off.

"I'll go see if DJ's okay." I said softly to Duncan as I passed by him.

"No, first I need to talk to you." He said sternly and angrily.

"DJ is probably really upset, this can wait!" I answered, bumping past him.

"No, it can't. I've waited since we were fucking teenagers to be with you again Courtney, I'm not gonna let some stupid edited crap on television ruin this again!" He said as he grabbed my arm and turned me to face him. I just continued to glare at him.

"I fucking told you how much I cared about you, every week. Chris didn't air most of them, but I did. Sure I said Heather was hot, but I bet you told Bridgette Justin was hot a couple of times didn't you?" He said, a crease coming over his eyes to show how angry and upset he was.

"Sure. But-" I started saying.

"No buts, it is the same thing, and if Chris hasn't muted the rest of what I was saying in that interview, you would have heard me call her a bitch, and compare her to you, and trust me, it wasn't a nice comparison, at least not for her."

"Really?" I asked, my voice and body filled with hope.

"Of course." He answered, kissing me softly, but strongly on the lips.


	10. Chapter 10

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 10

I finally managed to pry myself away from Duncan after about ten or twenty minutes and continued on my way to DJ's room like I had been before getting stopped.

"DJ?" I asked tentatively after knocking on his door lightly.

"Yeah?" He answered, not opening the door.

"Can I come in?" I asked, biting down on my lip, suddenly nervous about what I'd decided to do.

"Whatever." He answered, finally opening the door a crack before plopping himself back onto his bed.

"Look…what happened down there?" I asked, sitting on the corner of the bed, trying to be there for him, and yet distance myself.

"Why do you care? I mean honestly, why? It's not like you're gonna be here for long." He answered, looking me in the eyes with intense anger.

"DJ, I'm not going anywhere. Ever again." I stated, trying to make myself look determined.

"Whatever. Can you go now?" He asked, pushing me slightly with his booted foot.

I quietly slipped out, shutting the door behind me, and heading for Duncan's bedroom. I just had enough will power to make it inside his room, before shutting the door, slipping down it, and sobbing. I didn't know if anyone was in here, and honestly I couldn't care less. What DJ had said, it hurt.

"Courtney? Are you in my room?" Duncan came knocking about fifteen minutes after I'd finally stopped crying was just content to lay on the floor and stare at nothing.

"Yeah. I'm…changing." I answered, thinking up a fast reason for him not to come into the room.

"Oh, really? Can I join?" He asked, and even through the door I could picture the smirk on his face.

"No, you ogre. I'll see in a few." I answered, knowing this would wave him off, and he'd go bug someone else.

But…it didn't.

"Oops." He said, walking in, smiling, before seeing me, and letting his face fall, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing…why would you think something's wrong?" I asked, faking a smile for his benefit.

"Well…you're lying on the floor. Courtney never lay's on the floor." He answered, wrinkling his nose like I did anytime someone wanted to lay on some nasty, disgusting, dirty floor.

"I felt like staring at the ceiling." I answered quickly, thinking on my toes.

"Oh, really. And you couldn't do that on the bed?" He asked, pointing his eyes toward it for a moment before intensely looking into my eyes again.

"Do you think I'm going to leave again?" I asked, suddenly letting the pressure out of my heart, and just asking him the question that was burning me.

"Well…I hope you won't. But there's no way for me to defiantly know if you're going to be here forever. No one knows that." He answered, looking at me strangely with a look of concern on his face.

"I'm not going to." I stated firmly.

"I hear you." He answered, still looking at me with a little concern in his eyes.

"I'm serious." I replied, grinding my teeth together to keep my anger at his answer in.

"I understand." He said, before leaning over me, and kissing me lightly.

"I love you, you know that too, right?" I asked, after breaking the kiss off for a moment.

"What, are you dying?" He asked, laughing slightly.

"No…I just, want you to know." I answered, kissing him, and thinking that fireworks were going off.

Boy, was I wrong. So far from wrong. It had the first part of firework, put it wasn't fireworks going off.


	11. Chapter 11

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 11

I was kissing Princess, and thinking that nothing could possibly go wrong, ever again, when I suddenly began to smell something. An ashy, deep something, and though it was against my better judgment, I stopped kissing Courtney, and looked up and around.

"What's that smell?" Courtney asked after a few minutes of not being distracted by me, as I was looking and sniffing everything.

I opened the door, to see flames engulfing the living room, "Fire! Court, crawl out the bathroom window and go to the little shed you and Bridge stayed in the first night. Okay?"

"What're you going to do?" She asked, her eyes wide with fear as I pushed her toward the bathroom, trying to hurry this along.

"I'm gonna make sure everyone else is okay. I'll meet you out there. I promise." I whispered, kissing her forehead before opening the window and helping her crawl through it.

She looked at me through it for a moment before whispering, "I love you." Then I told her she had to head over there.

After I knew she was gone I ran from the room and went to the back room where Trent slept, and now Gwen too. I kicked in the door to find the two sleeping peacefully, barely awake as I jerked them toward the other door that led outside.

"Meet Courtney at the shed," I said quickly and repeatedly, trying to get it through their sleepy heads.

"What's going on?" Gwen asked, as I pushed them out t he door.

"You'll see." I answered, before shutting it, and locking it to prevent them from getting back in to ask more questions.

XXXX

I sat outside the shed that I'd slept in the first night, wishing to have the flames go away. Or at least see everyone get out.

"Courtney?!" I suddenly heard two people yell, I see their faint outline against the bright flames and waved to the stupidly, forgetting that it was nighttime and dark all around me.

"Court? Where are you?" I could heard the panic in the girls voice, and I finally yelled out over here, which calmed their screams down a little, but they still stumbled and called out every once in a while to make sure they were going to right way.

"How did this start?" The guy, who I easily recognized as Trent, asked once they made it over to me and knew that it was me.

"I have no idea. Duncan and me were just sitting in his room and suddenly we smelt ashes and stuff." I answered, twittering my fingers through the soft grass, and wishing someone else would show up, namely Duncan.

"It'll be okay." Gwen coos, putting her arm over my shoulder and rubbing my arm, trying to make me feel better.

"What if-" I begin to say.

"No what if's. It'll all be okay." Trent replies, sitting on the other side of me, and wrapping an arm over my shoulder too.

I suddenly wonder to myself, this is what it'll be like if he really does die. People'll always try to protect me and comfort. Trying to make everything better, but no one will, because they won't be him.

XXXX

"Geoff!" I scream, while climbing the stairs and then banging on his bedroom door.

"Wha?" He asks as he comes out of the room, shirtless and sleepy eyed.

"Climb out the window and take Bridge with you. Then, climb down the rose trellis okay?" I say, waiting for him to turn and hurry about his way.

"GO! NOW!" I bellow, shaking him from whatever was stopping him from moving earlier and he gets his butt into gear.

He bounds over to the bed, trying to wake Bridgette, but when that doesn't work, he simply picks her up and puts her over his shoulder, then kicks the window out, shattering glass all over the floor and roof. He turns toward the trellis and is soon out of sight, I then turn and run down the hall to DJ's room.

At first I try to get in my simply turning the doorknob, but that doesn't. apparently, DJ's decided to start sleeping locked in. I kick the door in and begin shaking the big glob.

"DJ!" I scream, trying to get the big guy up.

Finally, his head looks up, and I can tell, there's no way in hell he's gonna be getting up anytime soon, so instead, I pick him up in a firemen's hold, and carry him out the large window in his room, knocking it out as Geoff did in the other room.

Then, once out on the roof, I have no plan, and no idea what to do.

XXXX

"Geoff? Bridge?" I begin too scream, standing up and allowing Trent and Gwen's arms to fall to their sides as the other couple come closer.

"Geoff, you can put me down now, really." I can hear Bridge complaining, from a distance and miraculously, Geoff puts her feet on the ground and then, she turns and runs to me.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're okay. As soon as I saw the fire and Geoff told me Duncan had come to our room without you, I was worried." She cried slightly into my shoulder.

"So he's still alright?" I asked, as Geoff came upon the two of us.

"Yeah, I think he was going to get DJ next." Geoff answers, and then pulls me off the ground for a hug.

And this time it's me crying into Geoff's shoulder a little as he's hugging me, because I know that Duncan's still okay. That my life is still going on.

XXXX

I don't feel anything beneath my feet, only the air, and I'm suddenly wishing this was all different, mostly that DJ was a whole lot lighter.


	12. Chapter 12

Let The Fire Die Chapter 12

The smoke is blocking me from clearly seeing anything, and I can barely breathe without coughing and hacking like an old man. The big guy on my back, is finally starting to stir.

"Dunc?" He asks, his voice light and clearly confused.

"The house is on fire." I state back, while feeling my way down to wall, trying to figure out where exactly we are.

"Really? Never would have known." He answers, sliding off my back, and landing in a crouch beside me, smiling slightly at me.

We slide along and crouch for a few moments in silence before DJ begins talking, "Man, where the hell are we?"

"No idea." I answer, shaking my head, because although it looks like a hall, I can't tell if we're upstairs, or down and I can't see anything because the smoke is so thick.

"We're gonna die here, aren't we?" DJ asks suddenly, his eyes downcast and serious.

"No, man. We gotta make it out." I answer, clapping him on the back, trying to give him confidence, though my own is severely lacking.

"No, you're the only one who's gotta make it out. You've got Courtney on the other side of all this shit. What do I have? Nothing." DJ says, glaring up at me, as if I'm the bad guy for trying to help him get out of here.

"So what if you don't have a girl? You have all of us." I answer, pulling him along behind me as I begin to descend down a pair of stairs.

"Just promise me, that you'll always be in front of me. It'd be a shame if I made it, and you didn't." DJ says as he stops abruptly.

I turn around and look at him for a moment, and then I promise, knowing that if I make it, so will the big guy. I refuse to live in the place of another.

XXXX

"It's getting worse." Trent mumbled to Gwen, trying to hide it from me, but I could see the house.

The entire downstairs and upstairs window's looked lighted, as if someone was inside reading or having a late night dinner. The light's would almost be comforting, if I didn't know what they were, and who was still inside.

"He's gonna be fine. You know Duncan, he survives everything.." Bridgette whispered into my ear, while squeezing the hand she was holding for a millisecond.

"Hello, everyone. How is everything?" I suddenly heard a familiar voice laugh out from behind me.

"Drew?" I asked as I turned around, to face the man who's heart I'd broken by staying with Duncan and not going back with him.

-

"Hello, darling. How are things?" He asked, smirking as he sat beside me.

"You…you did this…didn't you?" I asked anger, fear, and guilt rising up in my throat.

"Oh, well, even if I did…You'd never be able to prove it." He answered, smiling cruelly, and patting my hand.

"Why? Why on earth…would you ever do this?!" I screeched, slapping him and hitting him as hard as I could, until he grabbed my wrists.

"No one…leaves me. Especially not for someone like that." He answered, clutching my wrists hard enough to break them, while yanking his head over to point at the house when he was talking about Duncan.

"What if someone else got hurt?" I asked, pleading with him with my eyes, wanting to know how someone so sane could go insane so fast.

"I knew your little boyfriend would want to play hero, and he'd save everyone else, saving himself for last." He answered, smirking at me, once more before throwing my wrists to the ground.

"DJ's still in there with him." I answered, letting a tear slid down my face, knowing that they'd probably never make it out.

"Do you want to save them?" He asked, smiling cruelly down at me.

XXXX

"DJ, c'mon, I think we're in the living room, let's get out these windows." I stated, pulling the big guy over to the other side of the room, reaching out to feel the cold glass.

But instead I felt the cool night air on my fingertips. The heat in the room had gone beyond the point that the glass could take, and had blown the glass out and broken the windows,

"Alright, we're gonna have to be careful, there's probably glass on the ground." I stated, trying to act as calm as I could.

"You go first." He said, pushing me toward the broken frames.

I crawled out, and felt the glass pierce my hands, but I didn't care. I was almost to her.

"I'm not coming." DJ suddenly said before running back into the house, away from me.

"Damn it." I muttered before crawling back in.

"DJ! Get your ass back over here!" I yelled, my lungs getting filled with smoke as my head seemed to get lighter.

XXXX

"Of course." I answered, letting the tears slip down my face, faster and faster.

"Then come back with me." He answered, grabbing at my hand.

"You promise to get them out, and make sure their okay?" I asked, looking into his eyes to see if there was a trace of deception hidden somewhere under there.

"You can watch, even. From my car. No goodbyes to Duncan though. You must disappear from him without a trace." HE answered, pointing over to a dark car that I could barely see within the shadows.

"Fine." I answered, while pinching Bridgette's hand to let her know.

"Get into my car." He said, pointing at it, as he dialed some numbers on a phone he'd just pulled out of his pocket.

I trudged to his car, hoping Bridgette had been eavesdropping like usual, and would know what I wanted her to do.

XXXX

As I was running through the halls, skipping and jumping over short little fires that littered the hallways, I suddenly ran into a large figure.

"You're saved now." He whispered, as he threw me over his shoulder and carried me out of the house.

I made my head move up so I could look at something over than his butt, and behind me, there was another large, black clothed man that was carrying what I figured was DJ. The guys dropped us off outside, before running off into the forest, immediately blending in with the darkness.

DJ and I ran up the hill, to greet the others, but when I got there, someone was missing. I pulled Bridge aside.

"Where is she?" I asked, as soon as we were out of range for the others.

"Drew. He started the fire, and to get you guys out, she had to go with him. I have the address and everything. She gave it to me, after he left. She was afraid something like this would happen." Bridgette explained while pulling me toward the shed, where she knocked in the door and walked over to a dresser.

She pulled out a piece of paper. I couldn't read anything in the darkness, but I hugged Bridgette all the same, "Thank you, so much." I muttered into her hair.

"I'm coming with you." She stated after I broke our hug.

"You're…what?" I asked, confused at this sudden behavior.

"She's my best friend. In the entire world. If you're going to save her, I'm coming too." She stated before pulling out two duffel bags, obviously filled with things, "I've got clothes, for the both of us, cash, and identification. And don't you dare try to talk me out of this. I'm going wether you like it or not."


	13. Chapter 13

Let The Fire Die Chapter 13

When we stepped outside, I instinctively knew something had changed.

"What were you two doing?" Geoff asked, stomping over.

"We were just talking, honey. we're going to get Courtney." I answered, looking into his eyes, and hoping that he wasn't feeling insecure or something. Now was defiantly not the time.

"By yourselves?" He asked, an incredulous look on his face.

"Seriously, Geoff? You're going to ask if we're going by ourselves, to rescue my girlfriend. You know, the girl I've been in love with for YEARS?" Duncan suddenly chimed in, obviously pissed off.

"Really? If that's all your going to do, then you won't mind if I tag along." Geoff answered, looking hard into Duncan's eyes, obviously not going to give in to the subject, no matter what.

"Gee, we barely have enough money for two people. There's no way in hell, we have to money to transport three people to New York." I answered suddenly, though I knew we had well over enough money.

"How convenient." He answered, glaring before stomping off.

"You sure you still wanna go?" Duncan asked, once he was sure Geoff was out of hearing range.

"Of course. He gets in these kinds of moods occasionally. He'll be fine by the time we get back." I answered, sighing, and hoping that I was speaking the truth.

"Why?" Duncan asked a few moments later.

"Why what?" I wondered aloud, not quite understanding the question.

"Why's he get in these moods? I mean, it's obvious you guys were meant to be together, and even more obvious that you love him with your entire heart." Duncan laughed out the last part slightly, before glancing over at me.

"Actually, I'm not sure. I've never really asked. He doesn't like to talk about them after their over, and it's hard to know what he's gonna say when he's like this." I answered, waving at his back.

"Well, don't you think you should-"

"We need to go if we wanna catch the next bus." I stated abruptly cutting off Duncan's next question.

"Okay?" He answered, looking over at me weirdly, before turning in the opposite direction of everyone and everything we knew, and heading towards the town.

I glanced back over my shoulder, to see Gwen sitting at a campfire, her arms wrapped around her body while Trent was over by Geoff, probably trying to cool him off. She abruptly turned to glance at me and waved, I smiled back. 'Be safe' She mouthed, looking at me sadly, before turning back to stare at the two boys. I could feel the tears pinpricking my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

An hour and a half later, we were in the closest town, and after waiting on the bench for a little while, we were finally on route to getting Courtney. After I finally settled into my seat and felt comforted by all the noises, I let the tears slip down my face.

"Bridge?" Duncan asked, looking over his seat back.

"I'm fine." I smiled out, knowing that he couldn't see my tears in the almost complete darkness.

"Okay. Night." He answered, smiling shyly before turning back around.

After that, I let the tears fall faster and faster, knowing that no one could know about them, and I could feel good about letting go of my pent up sadness for a moment. When suddenly I felt a tug on my sleeve. The little girl beside me, was looking up at me.

"Here. You need bunny more than me." She offered up, giving up the stuffed animal she hadn't let out of her grasp.

I took it lightly form her, and smiled down at her, suddenly thankful for little children.

XXXX

"So, are you comfortable?" Drew asked for the millionth time since we got in his private car.

"Just fine." I answered coldly, refusing to look at him, and instead glaring out at the scenery.

"You know, darling, I only took them away from you, because I believe you don't know what you were getting yourself into. You don't understand those kinds of people like I do." Drew answered, taking a sip of champagne.

"Those 'people' are my best friends. The very best I've ever had, in fact." I answered, gritting my teeth as I turned to look at him, glaring the whole time.

"Oh, but you don't understand them, not truly. And they'll never understand you. No matter how hard they try." He replied, smiling at me for a moment before reaching into his pocket to answer his ringing phone.

"Don't answer that. We're having a conversation." I stated, slapping his phone out of his hand.

"I'm sorry. I said everything I had to say. I thought we were through." He smiled, bending to pick up his phone off the floor.

"No, we weren't. You said everything, but I did not. You have to stop doing that." I answered, turning back to the window.

"Doing what? Darling, I always listen to what you have to say." He answered, reaching over to touch me on the shoulder.

"Really? What's my favorite color? My favorite animal? Singer? Artist? Band?" I asked, throwing the questions out of my mouth.

"Uhm…" He answered, clearly drawing a blank.

"You know, Duncan knows all those things. It's lime green, horses, Taylor Swift, Monet, and Weezer. So just shove it, pretty boy." I answered, finally telling Drew off, like I'd wanted to so many times.

"What is going through you're mind?" He asked, gripping my chin, trying to turn it so that I'd face him.

"That I've never wanted to be with you, ever, you FREAK!" I answered, shoving his hands off of me.

"You don't want to be with me? Fine, GET OUT!" Drew suddenly yelled, stopping the driver, and pushing open my door.

I sat there in shock, I knew I'd never told Drew off, but I never expected Drew to act like this if I did. Suddenly, I was out I pouring rain, my butt covered in mud.

"Let your perfect little prince find you here!" He cackled as he shut the door and then sped off.

I flicked him off, suddenly aware of how alone I was. All these of years of holding everything in, and I had to break when Drew was going through an insane time. Of course, I'd pick the one time that he'd go crazy and kick me out of his car when it was pouring rain. Just my luck. Now how the hell were they supposed to find me?


	14. Chapter 14

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 14

After three hours of sitting alone on a deserted street, I finally began trekking back the way Drew's limo had brought me. I reached a pay phone and a gas station a few miles in, and begged the man inside for some money, I even told him I was an escaped kidnap victim. I think that's what sold him.

"Hello?" A sleepy voice asked once I'd gotten the Duncan's cell phone number right.

"Geoff?" I asked, suddenly curious of why Geoff would be answering Duncan's phone…unless…Drew hadn't kept his word…

"Courtney? Are you with Bridge and Dunc? Are they okay? Tell Bridge I'm so sorry!" He jumbled out, clearly anxious and now wide awake.

"Geoff…why would I be with Bridgette and Duncan? Where are they? I thought they'd be with you…" I trailed off.

"They left a few hours ago to find you. Bridge and me got into this big fight, because I wanted to go, but she wouldn't let me…and I just got jealous and…I thought maybe you were calling because they'd found you." He finished, sadness tingeing his voice.

"No…they haven't found me yet…did they leave in a car?" I asked, suddenly wondering how far behind they could be, it wasn't like Drew'd had his limo driver speeding or anything.

"No, they with a bunch of money, then walked into town to wait to catch the next bus. I guess it could be a while longer before they catch up to you…" Geoff replied.

"Wait a minute…" I stated, finally catching bright lights that were slowly growing larger and larger in the corner of my eye.

"The bus is here!" We'll be home soon Geoff!" I stated excitedly, before quickly hanging up the phone and running into the middle of the street and waving my arms.

There were few other things around me, and I knew that as soon as the driver got close, he'd see me, but when he was close enough that I could see the green in his eyes, I knew he wasn't going to.

XXXX

BUMP!

I was suddenly jerked awake by the driver running over something, and then stopping to check it out. Apparently, the guy had once run over a squirrel and had since promised to never run over a living creature again. Fucking pansy. We'd been stopping like this ever since we'd gotten on this god forsaken, mostly just little baby potholes.

"AHHH!" The guy screamed, before falling faint to the ground, just behind the bus.

"What happened?" Bridge asked, leaning over the seat and looking at me, her eyes widened with fear.

"I'll go check it out." I answered bravely, thinking it was probably just another dead squirrel and the guy was freaking out about breaking his promise.

I walked up the rows, and pushed everyone else into their seats before telling them all to stay on the bus, just in case, and because I didn't want to be dealing with any other assholes tonight. The gravel crunched under my feet as I harshly jumped off the bus, and stomped toward the guy. There were two people on the ground.

The first, the plump, curly haired driver, who holding his stomach now, and leaving off the side of the road, even though he was still on the ground. And the other, a girl. A girl with platinum blonde hair and messed up hair, with twigs and leaves stuck everywhere. She looked like she had left her house in a hurry, she was still in her pajama bottoms, though it looked like they had been torn.

"She's a Kidnap Victim!" The store owner from across the street yelled running over to me.

"How do you know?" I asked seriously, suddenly suspecting this man.

"She came into my store, ten maybe fifteen minutes ago, begging for some money, usually I just let it go and tell those kinds to get out of my store. But this one, she looked rough, said she'd just escaped form being kidnapped, needed to call her boyfriend. My wife nodded her head, and said I should give it her, so I did. She looked right confused on the phone, but then perked right up when she saw this bus. Instantly hung up the phone and ran out into the middle of the street." The old man answered, looking down at the young girl with a pity that a killer would not give.

"Can your wife verify this?" I asked, just wanting to be sure that I didn't let anyone who could have hurt this girl before the driver go.

"Si, I can, senor. What he said was true." A dark, tall beautiful woman spoke from behind the man with a thick accent.

"Thank you." I replied, waving them away to stand on the outskirts, with most of the occupants of the bus that had come out to see what the old man had been screaming about.

"whoever her boyfriend was, he was one lucky ass fellow. I sure wouldn't turn her away from my bed." Some young guy yelled from the crowd, earning high fives from his friends.

"He sure is." I muttered back, suddenly realizing who the woman looked like.

I peeled back her eye, and screamed. _Oh, God._

Suddenly, everything was moving in slow motion, even though I was yelling at the man to call the cops he seemed to just look at me with this dumbfounded look, and then Bridgette was pulling me away. Taking me away from the only thing I wanted to save. Then, when the ambulances finally came, they wouldn't talk to me or tell me where they were going They left me outside their bright lights in a darkness, that chilled me to the bone.


	15. Chapter 15

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm sorry it's taken so long, I've just been really, really busy. Thank you to every one that messaged and/or reviewed **_**politely**__**. **_**As for the mean reviews, you all need to realize that this isn't my entire life. Thanks again! And onto the story!**

About ten minutes after the ambulance left, some genius finally decided to ask me how I knew that the that had been taken away. I instantly yelled at them and went off, I probably would've punched their lights out, if Bridge hadn't been there, coaxing me, and trying to get us a ride to the hospital from the store owner. Finally, he agreed and we all piled into his crappy car, while his exotic and beautiful wife stayed behind.

"So, why were you kids on that bus anyway?" The old man asks, looking into the rearview mirror at Bridgette and I.

"It's a long story. But basically, it was to save Court from one of her ex-boyfriends. Apparently, she likes all the crazies." Bridgette giggled out, looking pointedly at me.

The old guy laughed for a bit before saying "So I'm guessing that's her new beau?"

"New and old." I answered, staring out the window, cleanching my fingers. _Why the hell do you need to know this anyways?_

"Ah" He answered, before turning into a hospital parking lot, that I hadn't even noticed while we were riding the bus along this road.

"Ya'll be careful now, don't get in no trouble!" He yelled out once we got out and began walking for the entrance.

Bridgette turned and smiled and waved, while I just simply waved slightly over my head.

"Duncan, you could be nice!" Bridge whispered, as though he could hear her from here.

"Why? He's just some dude. And fucking Courtney's in the HOSPITAL! I'm not being nice to anyone, except her." I muttered bitterly, glaring at Bridgette slightly, if Geoff were in the hospital, she'd be hysterical, and she's giving me crap?

"Whatever." She mumbled, clearly hurt, but I'd deal with that later.

When we got to the emergency room, the nurse said Courtney was getting checked out at the moment, and we could go see her after they figured out what was wrong with her. Bridgette went to call Geoff and tell him where we were and why, while I sat down and stared off into the distance, remembering everything about Courtney, and suddenly thinking that I'd taken it all for granted, and this was my punishment for that. If you don't appreciate something, it simple goes away.

After about thirty minutes Geoff, Trent and Gwen got here, saying that DJ was tired and had fallen asleep in the car, so they'd simply left him out there, because none of them could lift him. I knew they were trying to get me to go get him, but I just had no energy left for that. So, instead we just all sat there, staring off while Gwen and Bridgette talked, and the guys tried to get me to talk. After another hour and a half, I was getting pissed.

"Why the hell can't I go see my girlfriend?" I finally asked, stomping up to the nurse's station.

"Who's your girlfriend?" She asked politely, but her eyes were scared, just like everyone else's in the waiting room.

"Courtney. She's been here for over two hours!" I screamed at her. _Way to remember a face. douche bag. _

"Sir, you've been able to go see her for the past hour and a half. I told you they just needed to finish up the examination." She answered, the relief clear on her face.

"Room?" I grunted out, still angry.

"511. First door on the left side." She answered, smiling back and pointing me back towards a hallway.

I motioned to everyone else that I was going back, and that I needed a few minutes alone with Court first, and then they could come. They all nodded back, understanding. I walked the short distance with dread in my heart. _what if the collision caused her to loose her memory and she doesn't remember me? _All the other possible What If's were running around in my head, and I felt like I was going to lose it. Finally I walked in, to see Courtney hooked up to a bunch of machines by tubes and lines, and my heart practically broke.

She looked so vulnerable, and little. I just wanted to pick her up and hold her in my arms until she looked better. She appeared to either be asleep or watching the crappy television show , but when my shoes squeaked on the floor, she instantly turn to look. Her eyes lit up when she saw that it was me, and she smiled the biggest grin I've ever seen on her.

"Duncan!" She squealed out, clearly enthused.

"Hey Princess." I replied, walking over to her bed and sitting my her feet.

"I thought you wouldn't know. And then I'd be stuck here all alone for the rest of my time here, and I'd be lonely, and plus I have no idea how to get to your house! I've completely blanked out on it! And goodness, I just thought I'd never see you again!" She rambled out, clearly relieved and beyond happy.

"No, I knew. We were on the bus that hit you. Me and Bridge. The other guys are here too. Their all waiting in the waiting room. 'Cept DJ he's asleep in the car." I smiled out, simply glad that Court seemed to be okay.

"Good." She replied, smiling over at me.

"So what exactly is wrong with you?" I asked, finally asking the question that I really wanted to know.

"Couple-a broken bones, broken wrist, and broken toe. No big deal." She answered, looking up at me with the determination of a soldier in a war.

"No big deal?! Court that's a huge deal! God, you're broken for god's sake! Those things take forever to heal!" I screeched out, running my hands through my hair a couple of times, and trying to calm myself, but I just couldn't.

"Duncan, I'll be fine, besides, I'll have the best nurse helping me once I get back to your house." She smiled out, laughing slightly and shaking her head at me.

"Oh, really? Who's that?" I answered sarcastically, knowing that if she wanted the best, she'd be getting the best, one way or another.

"You. Murse Duncan." She giggled out, while I laughed heartily, along with someone else.

"I didn't know you were a professional nurse, Dunc." Geoff laughed out from the doorway, clearly overjoyed by Courtney and mine's conversation.

"So when do you get to leave this Popsicle stand?" Geoff asked after everyone had given Court a hug, and things had seemed to calm down a little.

"Today. Their gonna put a cast on my foot, and my wrist and an Ace bandage around my ribs, and then I get a prescription for some hard core meds and I get to leave." She smiled out, clearly the drugs they were giving her now were giving her no clue as to how badly these injuries would hurt later.

"Well, then we'll just wait in here and such for you." Trent replied, grabbing Gwen's arm, and holding it tight.

"Good." She smiled out, just a nurse came in, cracking everyone except the tow of us up.

"Well, well, well, looks like you're all ready to be casted." He spoke to Courtney and then to the rest of us "We're going to take her down to get casts on her left arm and right foot and then she'll be back."

Courtney was then wheeled out of the room in her bed, waving slightly to me as she went. Things calmed down considerably after she left, and the girls went to sleep, Trent soon following them.

"Dude. You okay?" Geoff whispered to me, clearly trying not to wake Bridgette since she was on his lap.

"I guess." I replied, refusing to look up at him, knowing he'd be able to tell that I wasn't. And I was always supposed to be okay.

"You know it's okay if you're not." Geoff replied, while I looked around the room.

Trent and Gwen were sharing this double seater thing and were curled up beside each other looking peaceful, while Trent still clutched Gwen's hand. Whereas Bridgette was in Geoff's lap, lolling her head against his shoulder which didn't look particularly comfy or cute, but Geoff just continued to stare at her like she was gorgeous 24/7.

"I guess I know." I answered, finally looking up at him, and he knew.

"Dude, you look like someone fucking stole her from you." Geoff said, clearly shocked by how much this was hurting me.

"I feel like this is my fault. I should've been with her. The entire time, I should've been with her. I knew Drew still wanted her and that he knew where I lived. I should've been with her." I said, shaking my head and looking down at my fingers.

"And then everyone except you two would be dead." Geoff answered logically, while also putting a little feeling into it because obviously that decision would've affected his life.

"I know. I just. I needed to be with her." I answered, looking at him for a moment before continuing to stare at the floor.

"I think you did the right thing. You didn't know Drew was going to drop Court off in the middle of nowhere, or that she'd get hit, you just followed her, and that's what any guy would've done. You did, the exact same thing me or Trent would've done." Geoff answered just as Courtney came back in.

"Hey." she whispered, looking around the room, "apparently I was gone too long?"

"You were gone a pretty long time, but their pretty tired too." Geoff answered, looking down lovingly at Bridge once more.

"Well, we can go whenever you guys are ready. We just have to stop and get these medications at the nurse's station." Courtney answered, smiling at us, and pointing to the wheelchair in the corner.

"I'll go with her to get the medicines, you wake everyone up and meet us out there, okay?" I siad, while helping Court into the chair.

She looked wonderful, but awful. She had green blue casts on both her arm and foot and looked like she hadn't been sleeping for the past week. But I kissed her lightly anyways, making her smile and blush, because she was clearly uncomfortable about the way she looked at the moment.

"You looked gorgeous." I whispered into her ear and making her smile and giggle slightly.

"I love you." She whispered, turning her face up towards me and smiling at me.

"I love you too." I answered, looking down at her, and pecking her once more, making her light blush deeper.

I wheeled her down and then gave the nurse a slip of paper, to which she quickly began shuffling around the small room behind her and getting the medicine ready.

"Okay, now this is just a trial package, you have to go to your pharmacy later and give them these papers, to get more, but this should last you a few days." She smiled out, still clearly afraid of me, and probably wondering how the hell Courtney put up with me, just as the other guys shuffled out of Courtney's room.

"Let's rock and roll!" Trent exclaimed, clearly recharged after his short nap.

He walked ahead of everyone else, and he followed him to the car where DJ was still peacefully sleeping. Luckily, the guys had brought Trent 'band van' and we could get Court in there, and everyone was sitting comfortably, even with DJ taking up a whole row with his sleeping. Courtney and I were in the very back, her laying down, her head in my lap, sleeping. Then DJ was in front of us, practically snoring. Then Trent and Gwen were both laying down in the first row, giggling to each other. Geoff was driving and Bridgette was curled up in the passengers as she had previously been in Geoff's lap, and he hadn't bothered to wake her, just simply carrying her out to the car. Every few minutes he'd look over at her and smile.

As Courtney slept in my lap, I was finally thinking everything was getting perfect, and that I had all I'd ever need, right here in this van. My best friends, their girls, and the best girl in the entire world, laying right here in my lap, forever. As long as I had these, I'd never need a thing.

**A/N: This might be the end, review or PM to tell me what you think I should do! Continue it, or just finish it here! unless you review I won't know you're opinion and I'll have to choose based on other's opinions!!! (: thanks everybody.**


	16. Chapter 16

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 16

"I've never seen him take such good care of someone before." Bridgette giggled out, just as Duncan left the room.

"Yeah, well, he's made a lot of exceptions for Courtney." Gwen answered, looking at me for a moment for a moment before meeting Bridgette's eye and busting out laughing.

"And if you two stop talking about him while he's out of the room, he's going to kick you out." Duncan stated, coming into the room and looking at the two of them sharply.

"It's not like we're lying!" Bridgette laughed, while getting up and heading out the door, waving at me on her way out.

"You don't have to be so mean to my friends." I said, sticking my tongue out at Duncan when they had both left the room.

"I just don't like sharing you." He answered, growling and laying down beside me and pulling me close.

"Well, you're gonna have to learn to love it." I answered, trying to wiggle out of his tight embrace.

"Never." He replied, pulling me even closer, making me simply pull him closer.

"Dunc! Did you really kick the girls out?" Geoff asked, coming to stand at the doorway of Duncan's room.

"Go away." Duncan growled, agitated.

"What's wrong today?" I asked him, once Geoff had backed away from the door and headed back down the hallway.

"I'm just sick of being with all these people. Don't you ever want it to be just the two of us?" He asked, throwing his arms off of me and pulling them through his overgrown hair.

"Well, see, in order for that Duncan, we'd need money, and we'd need jobs to get money, and since neither of us has one, I think this is our only option." I answered, grabbing his hand and pulling it back toward me.

"Wrong." He replied, looking at me sharply.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"This is all mine. Everything." Duncan answered, throwing his arms wide to show that he meant the house and the land and basically everything within sight.

"Then what are you suggesting? That we kick out our best friends?" I asked, getting angry with his suggestion and confused as to why he was saying these things.

"Maybe." He asked, and for the first time in the conversation, looking embarrassed of himself.

"Why? Why would you want to do that?" I asked, sitting straight up, and feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous.

"Haven't you noticed anything strange about yourself, Court?" He asked, looking at me critically, as though studying me for the signs that I knew what he was talking about.

"No? Why would I?" I asked, incredulous of his questions and getting angry by the second.

"You've gained weight, you're mood, every time you get up, or sit up, you wanna barf, and…Court, have you had a period since you're been here?" He asked, studying me, as though he already knew the answer.

"Well, no…but I've only been here-" I stopped for a second trying to calculate how long I'd been here.

"Two months." He answered automatically.

"Wait…so you're trying to tell me that…you think I'm pregnant?" I asked, staring into his pools of turquoise, begging for the answer he wouldn't give.

"Yes." He replied, looking away from me.

"Duncan, that's crazy! We're still kids ourselves practically!" I screeched out, making the screaming and TV sounds in the other room silence.

"Court, calm down." Duncan stated evenly, getting up and walking to the bedroom door to shut it.

"I can't calm down! You think I'm pregnant!" I screeched out again, this time just slightly lower.

"Court, I know it's a big thing, but-"

"But what? Can you honestly say that you think this would be good for us?" I asked, glaring at him and his insanity.

"Yes, actually I do." He replied, making me gasp slightly.

"Duncan…we're practically broke. We can't take care of a child! We live with two other couples! And DJ!" I bellowed, the realization finally dawning on me, "that's why you wanted to kick them out, isn't it?"

"Yeah." He answered, looking to the ground and then out the window to the lake below.

"Duncan, we can't do this." I answered, simply thinking what I knew was true; we fought all the time, we'd hardly been together for more than a few months, and he just wasn't responsible enough to take care of a child.

"And if you already are pregnant? What do you propose we do then?" He asked, glaring at me hard.

"Get rid of it." I answered simply, looking away from him.

"You'd just get rid of a piece of you?" He asked, coming over to me and making me look at him.

"Yes." I answered automatically.

"I can't talk about this with you. Not anymore." He answered, walking out the door and slamming it shut.

"Duncan! This isn't just about you!" I yelled back, tears falling from my eyes down onto the comforter around me.

XXXX

"Uhm, I'm gonna go outside…and take a walk!" I said quickly when Duncan stormed past the living room.

When I got outside I could see Duncan storming into the woods, his body tense and angry.

"Duncan!" I yelled out, running to catch up with him.

"What?" He screamed, turning to face me his face contorting from anger to sadness and back again.

"What happened? What'd she say?" I asked, sitting him down on a log that was a few feet away.

"She said she wanted to get rid of it." He said, tears pricking his eyes before turned away from me and slammed his fist into a nearby tree.

"Why?" I asked, amazed that a girl would want to do that.

"Because we can't take care of it. And she doesn't want to kick all of you out, and we definitely can't take care of it with all of you here. No offense." He stated, looking apologetic at having to throw all of us out of the house to be able to have the baby that Courtney was definitely having.

"Look, you know I have no problem leaving for you guys to have the baby." I answered, since I'd already packed up most of my things and had made plans to move into an apartment in town.

"I know DJ, but that's not gonna change how Courtney feels." He answered, throwing a punch at the tree once more.

XXXX

"What, just happened?" Geoff asked, after Duncan stormed out with DJ following shortly after and Courtney yelling after the both of them.

"I think Court and Dunc had a fight." Bridgette answered, looking toward Duncan's bedroom door, like she wanted to go back there, but wasn't sure if she should.

"And the DJ thing?" Trent asked.

"Who knows." I answered, snuggling in closer to Trent.

"I think we should go talk to Court." Bridgette said, looking worriedly over her shoulder once again.

"No you shouldn't. You know how she gets when they fight." Geoff said, pulling his arms tighter around Bridgette's torso.

"Yeah, but she's my friend, I need to be there for her. And so do you Gwen." Bridgette answered, pulling Geoff's arms off of her, getting up and holding her arm out to me.

"Sorry, Trent." I said, kissing him lightly on the cheek, while Bridge pulled me to my feet.

"S'okay" He answered.

"Bridgette, c'mon!" Geoff pleaded, pulling at her hand and patting the seat beside him.

"Geoff, you're making yourself look pathetic." Bridgette answered, pulling her hand away and walking down the hall ahead of me.

"Is everything okay with the two of you?" I asked when I had caught up to her.

"No." She answered, pushing Courtney and Duncan's door open to reveal Courtney in the worst condition we'd ever seen her.

XXXX

"Court! What's wrong?" I asked, rushing to her side once I'd pushed open the door.

"He…he wants you all to leave…so that-" She said, before breaking down into tears, which were littering the surface of her comforter.

"He wants us to leave?" Gwen asked, her face heartbroken, "why? What did we do?"

"Nothing. He…he thinks…I'm…pregnant!" She yelled out, her voice cracking as she began sobbing again.

"Well…it would kind of make sense, Court." I answered, patting her back.

"But can't you see that that's horrible!" She asked, looking up into my eyes with such sadness that it broke my heart.

"Why would it be so bad?" Gwen asked, sitting on the other side of Court and rubbing her arm.

"Because we fight all the time! And we're broke!" She screeched out.

I looked over at Gwen, and we both burst out laughing, angering Courtney.

"Why in the hell would you be laughing at a time like this?" She asked, glaring at the both of us, alternatively.

"Have you noticed that no one here works? And we don't pay rent?" Gwen asked, wiping laughter tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Well…yeah." She answered, her face crinkling in confusion.

"It's because Duncan takes care of everything. Everything that his parents had, was left to him…and it's quite a bit." I answered.

"Why…didn't he ever tell me?" she asked, looking pathetically from Gwen to me and back again.

"He doesn't like to talk about it." Gwen answered shortly.

"I…I have to find him." She said, getting up, and nearly falling back onto the bed.

"I'll do it for you." I answered, slipping off the bed, and looking at Gwen to tell her that she needed to stay here, and make sure Courtney remained okay.

"Thank you." She said, her face contorted with nausea.

XXXX

"Bridge! We need to talk!" Geoff said as soon as I came out of Courtney and Duncan's room.

"Not right now, okay?" I asked, trying to get past him and to the outdoors.

"Bridgette! I'm so sick of this! Do you even want to be with me anymore?" He asked, looking at me with wide, pleading eyes.

"I don't even know!" I yelled, pushing past him and running out the door to fix the things in my friends relationship that I couldn't in my own.

"Bridgette?" DJ questioned when I ran into the woods.

"Where's Duncan?" I asked, crossing my arms, and hoping that this was easier than I thought it was going to be.

"Look, I think you should just leave." He answered, just as a hand came and pushed him out of the way, and onto the mossy ground.

"What do you want?" Duncan asked, glaring at me with red rimmed eyes.

"Courtney wants to talk to you." I answered, not knowing what else to say.

"Oh, what? Does she want to yell at me some more? Tell her she can go fuck herself. At least that way she won't have to worry about a baby." Duncan answered bitterly.

"What baby?" A voice asked from behind me.

"GEOFF! Go back to the house." I yelled, losing my cool, and turning to face him.

"BRidge, I need to talk to you. We have to fix this." He said, his eyes sad, and filled with crystal clear tears.

"Just go back to the house. This has nothing to do with you." I muttered, angry at him.

"I think you need to fix your own relationship, before you start meddling in mine." Duncan stated after Geoff has slowly walked out of the woods.

"You don't even know what you're talking about." I answered, glaring at him.

"Oh, really?" He asked, raising his eyebrows to look at me.

"Just shut up and go talk to Courtney!" I screamed, sick of this game he was trying to play with me.

"Hell no. She wants to talk to me, she can come out here." He answered, picking up a stick and beginning to pick the bark off of it.

"She can't even get off the bed without wanting to barf, and you expect her to walk all the way out here?" I asked, amazed by his selfishness.

"She'll just have to get over it. I head barfing is good for you." He answered, disinterested in continuing the conversation.

"You know what? She's right. You guys can't take care of a child, you're still too much a child yourself!" I said, before turning around to walk out of the woods, instead, I was tackled.

"Don't you ever say that? Understand? Because you have no idea what the hell you're talking about." Duncan muttered threateningly, after flipping me around to face him and putting his forearm over my neck to hold me down.

I simply nodded, and he let go of me and returned to his log. When I got up, I looked at DJ who simply shrugged and waved me off, scaring me even more.

XXXX

**A/N: O_O, scary no? haha, I'm sorry this took so long for me to type up, but I made it longer, than usual to try and make up for that! Anyway, review please, and check out my new story, "Could it Be?" (: thank you to everyone who's reading one or more of my stories! **


	17. Chapter 17

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 17

"He never acts like that, though...at least, not anymore." Courtney sighed out, gazing out her window in the direction of the woods.

"He'll come around, and you know it, Court." Gwen answered, sighing and standing up from the bed.

"But he's never acted like when we were together, how can I be sure that he will?" Court asked, her sad eyes boring into my head, as I tried to think of an answer.

"Want me to take you out there?" I asked finally, because it was the only thing I could think of that would calm her nerves.

"That's a horrible idea, Bridge!" Gwen stated, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the bedside with a hard grip as her face tightened.

"No, it's not. It's actually what I want." Courtney answered gingerly getting up from the bed and walking over to the two of us.

"Then C'mon." I answered, taking her arm while jerking my arm out of Gwen's grasp.

"Do you think he'll be mad with me?" Courtney asked after we'd walked most of the way to the woods.

"Who knows? But you surely won't if you never try." I answered, pulling her arm a little to get her to move again.

"Here goes nothing." I heard her whisper as we entered the woods and veered off to the right to go to the clearing where Duncan and DJ had been earlier.

"Courtney? What the hell are you doing out here?" Duncan asked, his eyes just about popping out of his eyes as he saw us coming and jumped to his feet.

"You wouldn't come to see me." She said pitifully, looking to her feet, because she was embarrassed to be admitting these things in front of DJ and I.

"Go." Duncan growled to the both of us, as he seated Courtney on the log he'd previously been on.

"Well, our help was so much appreciated there." I said sarcastically to DJ as we exited the woods.

"You know it was." DJ said, bumping his shoulder with mine as we both lost it, and began giggling uncontrollably.

XXXX

"Court, I just needed to cool down. You know that." I said just as soon as the last trace of blonde hair was gone.

"Well, from Bridge's story you just seemed a lot more angry than usual." She answered, looking down and away from me.

"Courtney, you know me better than anyone else. You should know that no matter how angry I get, I'm always going to calm down." I answered, sitting beside her and holding her hand.

"You know, you actually sound like a human, instead of an Ogre right now." She answered, crinkling her nose and sticking out her tongue.

"And you don't seem like such a princess, so I guess we've both got problems." I answered laughing slightly at her.

"What're we going to do, Duncan?" She asked after moment, looking up at me with pleading eyes that tugged at my heart strings.

"We'll figure it out." I answered, looking away from her, because I knew what she wanted to do, and I just couldn't allow it to happen.

"How? When we tried to talk about it, we both got too fired up to talk to each other!" She exclaimed, tugging at my hand and trying to get me to look at her.

So, i did. She was begging me with every part of her face to just realize, that this wouldn't work, that it never could. Her eyes were sad and close to tears.

"Court, I can't give this baby up. I just, I can't." I answered, looking into her eyes and knowing that this situation might just destroy us.

"And I can't take care of baby by myself!" Courtney exclaimed throwing her hands up, and dropping mine.

"You won't be by yourself! I'll be right beside you the entire time!" I said exasperated and standing up to pace the small space of the clearing.

"You won't understand any of it! And you'll get frustrated and angry and we'll fight!" She said, the tears that were in her eyes suddenly springing up onto her cheeks.

"Court, we're always going to be like that. That's just how this relationship is!" I said, leaning down on the ground and looking into her eyes.

"Are we going to have to kick everyone out?" She asked after her tears had subsided and dried.

"Not everyone, but at least a few." I answered.

"I want Bridgette and DJ to stay." She stated defiantly.

"As long as you're going to keep that baby." I answered, poking her little belly lightly.

"Okay." She said, finally agreeing to do the right thing.

XXXX

Four Months Later

"The house looks horrible!" Courtney burst out crying from the front room as I rolled my eyes, glad to be leaving today.

"What does she expect a third of the people that live here are being kicked out today!" I said, kicking the box in front of me and glancing around the large room.

There were boxes packed to the ceiling in all the corners and a few boxes littered the ground of the rest of room, but besides the occasional piece of clothing Trent and I were almost completely packed up.

"I still can't believe we're really leaving." Trent said wistfully, while also glancing around the room, but probably viewing it differently than me.

"I still can't believe they chose Bridgette and DJ to stay!" I complained popping down on the floor and picking at the carpet.

"They didn't do it to spite you or anything Gwen, Court's just closer to Bridge, and well, it'd be a bit weird to have her and Geoff here at the same time now." Trent said gently, while falling onto the ground in front of me, and dropping his head in my lap.

"I still can't believe they broke up." I sighed out.

"We didn't break up. We took a break from each other." a clenched voice said from the doorway.

"Whatever you want to say." I replied, without turning to face the girl that I knew would be in the doorway.

"Your moving vans here, so hurry and get out." Bridgette replied, throwing something at my back before running back down the hallway.

"You really should try to be nicer. It's our last day here." Trent said, getting up and leaning around me to get whatever Bridgette had thrown at me.

"And I can't wait to get out of here." I replied, getting up before I could see what it was.

"Gwen, you need to see this. It's so nice." Trent said, making me turn to look at him and the object he was holding, a little book.

"I'll look at it later, for now, let's just get out of here." I answered, throwing tape on the box I'd just finished before heading out of the room to tell the movers which room was ours.

XXXX

That night after Gen and Trent finally got everything squared away in the moving van and left I realized I hadn't seen Bridgette since before they began packing the Truck.

"Court, have you seen Bridge lately?" I asked, turning to face her at the kitchen table.

"Uhm, no actually." She said, thinking for a moment before plopping another spoonful of brownie batter into her mouth and smiling at Duncan scowled disapprovingly at her.

"You're not supposed to eat a bunch of junk food when you're pregnant, you know." Duncan said, pointing first to her bowl of brownie batter, and then to her large belly.

"Oh, shush." Courtney answered, plopping her spoon down right on Duncan's nose, making me laugh before I headed down to Bridge's room.

"Bridgette?" I asked, knocking on the door when I came to it.

"Hello." She sniffled out, when she opened the door.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking worriedly at her disheveled appearance.

"Nothing, just tired. I think I'm going to get some sleep, you know, you should too, DJ." She smiled out, before closing the door and locking it once more.

This whole scene baffled me, because Bridgette and I had been closer than ever lately, and she'd been sharing most everything with me. But now, she'd just closed up like a clam, and I couldn't understand it at all. Mostly because, I'd fallen in love with her in the past few months.


	18. Chapter 18

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 18

After I went back into my room, I knew DJ was still standing out there, but I refused to acknowledge that. Instead, I logged onto my computer and checked my e-mail, as usual, Geoff had e-mailed me. Twice.

_Bridge, _

_This is ridiculous. You could at least e-mail me back. _

_-Gee_

And this one;

_How is Court going with the pregnancy? I know things must be rough. You could e-mail me back and we could talk about it? You should know by now that I'm gonna always be here. _

I sighed and stood up, walking out of my room and down the stairs, but instead of going to DJ's room like I had been doing regularly since Court had gotten pregnant and Gwen had begun acting crazy, I rushed to Duncan and Courtney's room.

"Court? Can I talk to you?" I asked cautiously, standing in the doorway and looking at the couple sprawled on the bed together.

"Oh, yeah!" She answered excitedly before to whisper something to Duncan, who promptly stood up and walked past me, smiling slightly at me before going into the living room, and switching the TV on.

"Come on in!" She said after a minute of me staring after Duncan and then turning to her.

"Oh, of course." I answered stupidly before coming into the room, and awkwardly sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Bridge! Stop acting like you've never been in this room before, get up here and sit next to me!" She demanded; patting the area beside her that Duncan had previously been occupying.

"So what's wrong?" She asked, once I'd gotten comfortable on the warm, comfortable comforter beside her.

"Geoff keeps e-mailing me, I'm pretty DJ has feelings for me that I can not give back to him, and I'm also pretty sure that Gwen hates me." I gushed out, wanting to get it out of me without letting tears slide down my face.

"One issue at a time, okay?" She asked, patting me lightly, "Now first off with Geoff, why did you two separate in the first place?"

"Because he wasn't fun anymore, he didn't really care about us anymore." I answered breathily.

"And now he's paying too much attention?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows at me.

"I don't know. It's just really- Court…What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly noticing the strange look on Courtney's face.

"I think…" She said looking down at her crotch before nodding, "my water just broke."

"Oh, my god!" I shrieked, getting Duncan's attention who immediately came running into the room, DJ just behind him.

"Court, Court this isn't good." Duncan muttered, dancing from foot to foot anxious and trying to help Courtney get up.

"What was wrong with you earlier?" DJ mumbled, coming to stand beside me.

I glared up at him, "Not now." I muttered before going over to help Duncan because he was way too nervous to be doing any good.

"This is way too early." Court said, fretting while clutching her stomach and trying to smile through what I knew had to be killer cramps.

"Yeah, I know sweetie, but with luck, it'll just be a fake labor. People go into that all the time." I smiled, trying to calm and reassure Courtney.

"And how do you know that?" She asked, throwing me a look that would've killed me if it could've.

"I've been studying up on my baby facts." I answered, smiling at her while helping her waddle out of the room.

After I got Courtney out to the car where I laid her down, I instructed the boys to go out there and keep the car warm and her company while I packed a hospital bag. As soon as I was finished Duncan stepped on the gas and we zoomed off towards the closest hospital, which coincidently was the same one Courtney had been in only months ago after getting hit by the bus. The nurses immediantly admitted Courtney, and sent her to be looked at, while the three of us were left to worry over Courtney, or in DJ's case, worry over me.

"Bridge, c'mon, we've gotten really close lately, are you honestly not going to tell me what was wrong?" He asked, cornering me once again as I went to get Duncan more coffee because it seemed to be the only thing that allowed him to stop shaking for more than one second.

"DJ, nothing was wrong. And don't you think we've gotten just a little too close?" I asked, pushing past him to go give Duncan his coffee.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" DJ asked, pulling my arm so that I was facing him again.

"I'm pretty sure you already know." I answered, looking harshly at the boy before ripping my arm out of his grasp and leaving him dumbfounded.

XXXX

"So what exactly is wrong with my baby?" I asked, wishing Duncan was here just simply to hold my hand, but it wasn't like I was about to ask for him, oh, no, I'm much too strong for that.

"You mean babies don't you?" The nurse asked, smiling kindly at me.

"What?" I shrieked out, finally loosing my cool.

"Well, you're carrying twins, didn't you know?" The nurse asked, her smile finally faltering.

"No! I didn't you nincompoop! Do you think I'd be screaming like this if I did? You are an idiot! Get me a new nurse! And Duncan!" I screamed, throwing my pillows at her until she ran out the room.

"Honey?" Duncan's voice came from outside the room a few minutes later.

"Duncan, oh thank goodness! Get in here!" I said, staring at the doorway expectantly.

"Of course, of course, whatever Princess wants, Princess gets." He mumbled as he walked into the room, a smile on his face.

"I told you this going to be a bad choice." I whispered when he got close enough to see the tears in my eyes.

"Oh, Court, this isn't bad. This is just….double the joy!" Duncan exclaimed after a moment.

"Yeah, right." I mumbled, leaning my head against his chest as the doctor came in.

"Well, Hello Courtney." He smiled out, looking down at his charts and then back at me.

"What's wrong with my baby…s." I asked after a moment trying to get used to adding an 'S' after the word I'd just barely gotten used to.

"Well, it seems they want to meet you a little earlier. They aren't quite ready, but you could go through with it, or we can keep you in the hospital and try and keep them in there a tad longer." He said, looking seriously from Duncan to me and back again.

"Well, can we have a little time to think about it?" I asked, not sure what Duncan was going to think of this.

"Court, there's really nothing to think about. You need to stay here. Our babies need you to stay here, okay?" Duncan mumbled into my ear in such a pleasant voice that I actually thought it didn't sound so bad.

"Okay, never mind. I'll stay here." I answered, looking at the ground and thinking of how much spare time I was going to have now.

"Very well, I'll make arrangements for that." The doctor replied, throwing another smile my way and turning to exit the room.

XXXX

"I'm going to miss you so much, you know that right?" I asked once all the nurses and Bridgette and DJ had left the room that Courtney was going to have to stay in while she was in the hospital.

"I know silly. Just give me a kiss and leave. You need sleep." Courtney smiled out, looking like an angel on a bed.

"I'll see you later today, okay?" I asked, after giving her a kiss and walking almost all the way out the door.

"Yes, no just go!" She ordered, laughing slightly, even though I could tell she didn't really want me to leave her alone here.

"I can always stay if you want." I offered up, once again.

"I'm a big girl. I promise." She smiled out, laying back against the pillows and raising her hands to shoo me out the door.

I laughed at the image of her on the hospital bed the entire way down the long white hallway, but when I saw Bridgette and DJ all phases of a smile faded away.

"What's with you guys?" I asked as the three of us walked out the hospital doors and into the early morning sunshine in the parking lot.

"Nothing." DJ grumbled, glaring down at the concrete beneath his sneakers.

"I just don't want to leave Court." Bridgette offered up, though it was a completely phony reason, and she knew I saw through it.

"Well whatever the fuck it is, don't act like there's something wrong around, Court, got it? She's got enough on her plate without you guy's no doubt high school shit." I said, stepping in front of the two of them, and shocking them silly.

"Yeah, whatever." DJ grumbled, looking back down at the ground once he realized that was I was going to say.

"Of course, I gotcha completely." Bridge smiled out, because she really did know that Court didn't need to be worried about anything except her and the twins now.

"Good." I said, finally letting the two get into the car, and laughing a little.

Because, no matter what happens in life, someone else is always going through some other kind of bullshit.


	19. Chapter 19

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 19

"So, how are we feeling today, Court?" Duncan asked me on the day that the doctors had decided to induce my labor.

"Nervous." I answered, picking apart the bread on my food tray.

"Well, don't be. Soon, we'll be holding two precious, beautiful babies in our arms, and everything will be perfect." Duncan replied, smiling at me, and revealing the most gorgeous sight on the planet.

"I hope so." I said worried, while wrapping my arms around my rotund stomach.

"It will, and look who's here to cheer you on." Duncan said, just as Bridgette walked in.

"Oh, Bridge, you came!" I squealed out.

"Of course, you didn't think I'd miss this did you?" She asked, dropping the enormous amount of balloons she'd brought with her.

"Never." I replied, hugging her tightly as she came over.

"She's worried isn't she?" Bridgette asked when I hadn't let go of her after five minutes.

"She thinks something bad is going to happen." He answered, pulling my arms off of her.

"I don't think something bad is going to happen, I feel like something is going to happen." I said, glaring at Duncan slightly.

"Honey, you're just nervous. Nothing is going to go wrong." He smiled out, just as the nurse came in.

"Are you ready?" She asked friendly and smiling.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I replied just as she stuck a needle into me.

A few minutes later, a raging pain came over me, and Duncan and Bridgette were rushed out of the room.

XXXX

"What's going on in there? It's been two hours! I want to see Courtney!" I yelled down the hall, without missing a beat from my pacing.

"Duncan, what happened to everything is going to be fine and everything?" Bridgette asked me while sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine.

"That was before she'd been in a room alone for two hours!" I replied, plopping down next to her, only to get back up and begin pacing again.

"I'm sure everything is fine. Labor can sometimes take a long time." Bridgette said softly, flipping the page and watching me carefully.

"You think I don't know that? I've read hundreds of books! But I should be in there! Not out here!" I shrieked, throwing my hands through my hair and wanting to hit something.

"Duncan, the nurse is coming out." Bridgette said after a moment, her smile widening.

"What's going on?" I asked, rushing over to the nurse, Bridgette right by my side.

"You can go in and see your baby now." The nurse smiled out, before continuing on her walk.

"What do you mean, Baby? She had twins!" I said, turning after her, wide-eyed.

"I'm sure it was just a mistake." Bridgette said softly, placing her palm on my back.

"No, nurses don't make that kind of mistake. They don't do that to people. Something happened in there." I said darkly, my eyes darkening and my blood boiling.

"Duncan-"Bridgette began, but instead, I grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall and into Courtney's room.

XXXX

"Duncan, look at our pretty baby." Courtney smiled out, holding out a pretty pink blanket to me.

"Where's the other baby?" I asked, whirling around to face the doctor who'd told us she was having twins.

"I made a mistake, there was only one baby." He said simply, smiling a sad smile and then turning to leave.

Once he was gone, Courtney's smile faded, "They did something to our baby boy."

"What?" I asked turning to face her.

"I had two babies. I heard two different cries. I heard them contemplating, and then I heard them decide something about the boy, and then, they told me they'd made a mistake, that's I'd only had one baby. But that's not true. I know it's not." Courtney said, looking down sadly at the baby in her lap.

"Courtney, are you sure it wasn't just your imagination? I mean, you were on a cocktail of different drugs." Bridgette said after a moment.

"I'm absolutely positive that I had two babies." Courtney said, steel in her voice, "You believe me don't you Duncan?"

"Of course." I answered, smiling sadly at how badly things had gone today.

XXXX

"Courtney, you need to feed your baby." I said, pushing Eliza into her lap.

"I don't want to touch her." Courtney said, giving the baby back to me, and looking out the window.

"Court, it's been two weeks. You need to realize that until we find out what happened to Brendon, you still have his sister." I said, throwing some formula into Eliza's bottle, and putting it in the microwave.

"I want both of my babies. Not just one of them." She said, a tear slipping out of her eye and down her face.

"I know that, and I understand that. But you can't just give up on one all together just because the other isn't here." I said softly, bending over her and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't realize that there's something wrong with the way I'm acting? Because I do, and I don't need you pointing it out too." Courtney said angrily, before storming out the kitchen and into the room she'd moved into as soon as she got home.

"It's okay Eliza, no matter what, you'll always have Daddy. I promise. You'll be daddy's little girl." I said, sitting down in a stuffed chair to feed my newborn baby girl.

"Hello?" A light voice called from the front door.

"In the living room, Bridge." I called out, not taking my eyes off of my little girl.

"Hey Duncan. Hello, pretty girl." Bridgette said as soon as she walked into the living room.

"So what's going on?" I asked as she seated herself on the couch opposite me.

"I just wanted to see how things were going here." She replied, looking nervously down the hall.

"No change. She still won't touch Eliza, hardly speaks to me, she practically lives in the spare room." I sighed, looking sadly down the hallway.

"I'm sorry." Bridgette said, reaching her hand out to grab mine.

"I wish this wasn't happening. I want my Courtney back." I sighed out, clutching Bridgette's small hand.

"I know. I miss her too." She answered.

Bridgette and I sat like that with Eliza for hours, just talking, not once did Courtney come out. Not even to use the bathroom.

"And Duncan?" Bridgette said as she walked down the stairs.

"Yeah?" I asked, taking my eyes off of Eliza to face her for a moment.

"If nothing changes, don't stay in a loveless relationship just for Eliza, that won't be helping her at all." She said just as she got into her car and zoomed down the driveway, leaving me to think about her words, all alone.


	20. Chapter 20

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 20

"I can't believe it's been two years, Bridgette." I said, looking at my small toddler playing with my toes as we celebrated her second birthday with Bridgette, Gwen, and Trent.

"I can't either." Gwen said, taking my hand and giving it a light squeeze.

After a few weeks of staying with Courtney through her craziness, I couldn't stand it anymore. She wouldn't do anything for Eliza, and it was impossible for me to take care of the baby, Courtney, and work. I moved out when Eliza was a month old, and I began living with Bridgette, because she worked at home, and she offered to take care of Eliza while she did that. Nothing went on between the two of us, because we were both too heartbroken to even think of anyone besides Courtney and Geoff.

"I've, uhm, I've actually got a surprise for you, Duncan." Bridgette said, wiping her arms on her jeans and looking more nervous than I'd seen her in a long time.

"What's going on, Bridge?" I asked, as she got up and went to the door.

"You have a visitor." She said, opening the door, and revealing a dark haired woman and a little boy with dark hair, and blue eyes.

"Hello." She said cautiously, her presence seeming to put a chill over the entire room, "I know, this probably is extremely shocking, but I needed you to see him. I needed you to believe me." The woman before me, allowed tears to collect in her dark, black lined eyes.

"You're saying, this is him?" I asked, looking at the little boy, who did look suspiciously like my little girl.

"Yes." She nodded, the tears beginning to fall as I walked over to him.

"Where was he? How did you find him?" I asked, leaning on one knee and staring into the face of the toddler in front of me, wondering how I'd written him off as dead or nonexistent so quickly.

"He was adopted, the hospital gave him away." She said, just as I noticed that everyone else has disappeared from the room, leaving us alone with our two children.

"How? That's illegal! Who did they give him to?" I asked, picking up the little boy and carrying him over to the couch where I'd been sitting, and where Eliza was still sitting.

"They were bribed." She said simply, looking out of the room nervously over her shoulder.

"By who?" I asked, wondering who would want a child stolen from his parents.

"Drew. It was a last ditch attempt to have me." She smiled out weakly, and that was when I noticed it. A bright, gleaming rock on her ring finger.

"Courtney, please tell me that this is a cruel joke." I said, my head falling into my lap, as I realized that this was not a reunion, instead, it was a ditching. She was giving me the children, and running off with Mr. High Society.

"I really wish it was. I really wish this wasn't how things have to be." She said, looking down at the ground, little diamonds of wetness reflecting light in the corners of her eyes.

"It doesn't have to be this way, you know that. You know you have a choice in everything that happens to you." I said, reaching out for her, but she stayed rooted to the entranceway.

"You don't get it Duncan, the only way either of us can have our son, is if I marry him. And the only way he'll keep me is if you take Brendon. I need you to do this. I can't let my little boy grow up, thinking that he's unloved. Especially not if there's something I can do about it." Courtney said, looking me in the eyes and pleading with me.

"Courtney, just stay here." I said, looking into her eyes, and knowing this was impossible.

"You know I can't. You know it as well as I do. You know he's waiting out there for me." She said, waving her hands at the children, and trying to pretend to be happy for them.

"Courtney, you can't just walk out on your kids." I said as she turned to go.

"Everything in my life is my choice, remember?" She said, poking fun at me, before turning blowing a sad kiss at me, and then walking out the door.

XXXX

That night, as I put my two little children to bed, I felt a large emptiness in my heart, and I knew it was because I'd always held onto the hope that if Courtney ever found Brendon, then we would be able to be a family again. Now, that hope had been completely crushed.

After Courtney had left, Bridgette had told Gwen and Trent that it would probably be best if they left. Then, she'd sat down and explained everything. Courtney had called the house a week ago, asking if Bridgette knew where I was, Courtney never told her what the surprise was supposed to be, but she sounded so happy, that Bridgette just figured she had finally accepted that Brendon was gone and was ready to be a family again.

"Daddy?" Eliza whispered in her bed beside Brendon.

"Yes?" I asked smiling at my little daughter who was constantly thinking and whose mind reminded me of her mothers.

"Who is he?" She asked looking at her brother quizzically.

"That's your brother." I answered, smiling at her once again.

"Okay." She said, before putting her extra blanket and an extra pacifier beside the boy, who quickly grabbed the object and put it in his mouth. The action made my eyes fill with tears, and I quickly kissed both children's foreheads before going across the hall and losing it in my room.

"Duncan?" Bridgette called, timidly knocking on the door.

"It's okay, come on in." I said, not even caring that I was crying. Bridgette and I were too closer to keep up my tough façade all the time.

"You're not holding up as well as you let on." She said knowingly.

"Well, what do you expect?" I asked, laughing slightly at Bridgette's comment.

"I expected you to breakdown as soon as she was gone. You really are a great father." She said, coming over to me and lightly squeezing my hand.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, turning to her, and for the first time in a long time, being surprised by her.

"You kept up this image that everything was okay, all day while you were with your kids. You kept your feelings hidden, and held back the hurt because they're so important to you." She said, giving me a light hug.

"Yeah, well, that's parenthood." I said, sighing and sitting down on my bed.

"So when are you going to save her?" She asked, looking at me hard.

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking into Bridgette's eyes, and being surprised once more.

"Duncan, you have a compulsive need to save Courtney from every danger she's entered since you met. I know it's only so long before you leave to save her. I just want to know so I can take off work. Because you will not take two little toddlers with you." She said, laughing in the beginning but becoming stern by the end.

"Bridgette, I'm not going to save anyone." I said, running my hands my overly long hair that hadn't been cut in over a year.

"Never say never." She said smiling, before walking out the door of my bedroom, leaving me to ponder my next move.

XXXX

"I'm so glad that you're going to do this, especially after so long!" My mother squealed, watching my every move as I tried on wedding dress after wedding dress, looking horrible in each and every one.

"Yup. Me too, mom. Fucking ecstatic." I said dully, turning in the newest gown, a gaudy thing with sparkles and beads everywhere.

"Look here young lady." My mother said, grabbing my arm and putting her face right in front of my own, "You will be happy about this, understood?"

"I don't have to do anything you say. I'm only doing this because my son deserves to be loved, and he will never get love from the cold man you're selling me off to." I said, lowering my eyelids at my mother.

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge said man." Said a deep voice that made me cringe from behind me, "That dress looks fantastic on you, by the way." He said, before nibbling on my neck, making me feel nauseous.

"It makes me want to puke." I said, sticking my tongue out and pushing him away.

"Then we'll get it." My mother said, smiling politely at Drew and completely ignoring my comment.

"Good. Look at our new announcement in the papers." Drew smiled out, handing me a newspaper where there was a large photo of the two of us when we younger.

Underneath it read;_ After many complications, like two little children born from another man, Courtney Elderson and Drew Grayson will be married later this month. Of his two future stepchildren Drew says "They are adorable! I hope to spend as much time as possible with them, as I already feel like they are mine." _

"Oh, that's just great. Really paints the picture of happiness." I said, rolling my eyes and being sarcastic, but neither of my 'companions' caught on.

"I know! Doesn't it?" He asked, excitedly showing my mother the announcement.

Instead of continuing to listen to their craziness, I went into the dressing room, and began doing what I was best at lately. Silently sobbing.


	21. Chapter 21

Let The Fire Die

Chapter 21

"Courtney, Darling, will you please just pick some flowers out?" Drew said, glancing up from the emails on his PDA for only a second.

"Look, you asshole, you're making me marry you, so you will suffer through however long I want to shop for anything and everything. Understood?" I said, glaring at him, and causing a the few girls in the store to turn and look at us.

"Honey, people are looking, please relax." He said to me, anger flashing in his pretty eyes. "The pregnancy hormones are just making her a little irritable today." He said, smiling to the rest of the store and pretending to be the great guy that he was in front of everyone else.

"If you don't want to shop anymore, then you can just go, okay?" I said, waving him away and wishing that he really would go.

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to leave you alone? If I do that, you'd probably have your little thug coming to get you within a few seconds." He said, leaning close to me, and smiling as though he were whispering nice things into my ears, and not threats.

"You already made sure he'd never come to get me remember? Most guys don't like being left alone to raise two children while the mother of the kids goes to marry some other guy." I said, just as my phone began ringing.

"You should answer that in case it's your mother." He said, walking over to the other side of the store, where the women waited on him.

"Hello?" I asked, after glancing at the number and not recognizing it one bit.

"Court, it's Bridge. I know I only have a few moments, so just play along and pretend I'm your mom. Okay?" Bridgette huffed out, sounding worried and talking fast.

"Yeah, I know. We're still flower shopping though." I said, glancing over at Drew as she stared at me blatantly, which all the salesgirls thought was adorable. If only they really knew.

"I'm coming to get you. I know that personally dropping off the kid was a way to get Duncan to follow you, but he's not biting it, and I can't leave you there to get hurt." She said, her voice suddenly choked with emotion.

"I can't believe you. Don't you think that's a little dangerous mom? I mean the ladders kind of high." I said, still trying to play along as though it were my mom.

"Yeah, well, you're the best friend I've ever had, and I can't let your life get ruined like this." She said, making me want to cry.

"Whatever you think is best mom. Well, hey I need to go because I think Drew's getting a little testy since we've been shopping for flowers so long. I think we might go out to dinner, and then I'll be home around 10, okay?" I said, trying to give her the message as sneakily as possible.

"I can't promise I'll be there at ten, but I'll try."

"Okay." I said, before sighing and hanging up, realizing that my whole life was hanging in Bridgette's hands, and that one false move by my mother could entirely ruin it.

XXXX

"What the hell do you mean, you're going to New York?" Duncan yelled as soon as I told him my plan.

"You don't understand what a prisoner she is up there! Don't you want her to be happy?" I asked, looking up at him, and wishing for some of Courtney's Duncan to slip out right now.

"You know that I want that more than anything. You know you don't have to ask that." He answered, sadly looking away from me and out the window.

"Then why are you trying to stop me from going up there?" I asked, reaching out for him.

"Because, I'm tired of constantly having to save her. My life is much simpler and much less dangerous without her." He said, sighing and looking into my eyes from a brief moment before the pain was too harsh and he looked away.

"Duncan, I can't believe you would even say that! I have a plane to catch if you don't mind." I said, turning and grabbing the little purse that I'd packed with money.

"No, Bridge, wait a second." He said, grabbing my arm, and looking at me with a pained expression that hurt my heart.

XXXX

At nine forty five, Drew dropped me off at my mom's house and I went immediately upstairs and packed a small bag with clothes and things that I would want. Suddenly, a light, quick knock on my door came, followed my mothers excited face in the doorway.

"He's here, honey." She said, looking at me happily, as she grabbed a pair of pants she knew I loved off the floor, folded them, and put them into my bag.

"Mom, Drew's over all the time." I said, trying to calm my beating my heart, as I lied straight faced to my mother.

"Courtney, Darling, do you really think I'm that dense?" She asked, looking into my eyes with a look of concern, before continuing, "Honey, I know Duncan's coming for you. I've known it all along. I just want you to be happy, and clearly you were happy with him."

"Mom, when did this happen?" I asked, looking at her in a light that I've never seen around her before.

"Ever since you came back. You've practically been like a zombie, with no emotions and just going with whatever everyone else says. That's never been you." She said, looking at me with a fondness and touching my arm, when her eyes suddenly lit up.

"What?" I asked looking out the window and seeing nothing.

"He's at your window." She said, smiling at me.

"Mom, he's not coming. Bridgette is. Apparently he doesn't want to help me any longer." I said, looking at the ground willing my tears to stay in as she walked to the window.

"Then how do you explain this?" She asked, pulling a wincing Duncan into my room by the ear.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, breaking into a large grin as I rushed to him and barreled him with a huge hug.

"You really thought I wouldn't come?" He whispered into my ear.

"It really sounded like Bridgette was going to come." I said, looking into his gorgeous blue eyes and wanting to pinch myself.

"Never." He said, looking down at me, and clutching me to him again.

"Uh uhm." My mother said, clearing her throat, making us both look up and at her, "If you two don't mind, you should leave."

"Mom, I thought?" I said, not even able to finish the sentence.

"I do, but your father, he still thinks that money is better than the happiness of his family." She said, looking sadly at me, "You write letters to me, you hear? And give me pictures of those pretty grandkids of mine."

"Mom, you know you could leave him, don't you?" I asked, looking at her, suddenly realizing how lonely and unfulfilling my mothers' life must be.

"Honey, we live in a high society. I was born and raised in it, and we don't do things like that. But you've always been different from these women, you've never given into anyone, and I don't want you to feel an ounce of guilt over this, understand?" She said, looking at me sadly once again, before giving me a watery smile.

"Mom, I love you." I said, rushing over and giving her a hug.

"I love you too, darling. Now you get out of here." She said, breaking the hug, passing me my bag and pushing me towards Duncan.

"Thank you." Duncan said, giving my mother a warm look before helping me out the window and then clambering after me, then we both disappeared into the darkness, leaving her looking longingly after us.


End file.
